


Cursed Victoria (A story of Vicbourne).

by EfrainJorge



Category: Victoria (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Declarations Of Love, Erotica, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Love, M/M, Making Love, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Married Couple, Married Life, Older Man/Younger Woman, Original Character(s), Soulmates, Tragedy, True Love, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2018-11-20 04:53:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 43,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11329002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EfrainJorge/pseuds/EfrainJorge
Summary: A man sees in a weapon the ultimate cure for the unbearable pain that caused him the worst tragedy a man can suffer. On the opposite side of the city, a girl faces a very difficult challenge for her young age, while she and her family would seem doomed by fate ... A coincidence will unite both. Can Victoria and Lord William find solace and joy in their encounter? Or are they both doomed to a tragic fate for all eternity?





	1. A gun and a lost little girl.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A horrible tragedy destroyed the life of Lord William, and since then he lives in hell, tempted by a frightful escape. But his chance encounter with a girl whose life is also marked by a tragic sign, could change the fate of both.

A gun in his hand... the simple remedy for his problems, the ultimate solution to his pain.  
A pistol in his hand, a Beretta / Wilson Combat 92G, with the ammunition magazine full. On the table, a bottle of whiskey almost empty, and a glass at his side. At another point on the table, an open computer and on his screen images of a child... several photographs of a child on the beach, in the park, at home, sharing family moments with his father.  
Tears running down the man's cheeks, a reflection of deep pain, which whiskey can not numb. His reddened eyes rested on his son's images, and a new fit of pain hurt him like a stab in the chest. He can not contain the pain, he is exhausted from being strong, tired of appearing serenity and courage. It's been a couple of years, but it seems it was a few hours ago that his boy left, that they snatched him...  
He raises the gun again, as he has done so many times before. He always says to himself that this time is the definitive one, that he would take the cannon to his temple and pull the trigger... but never is the moment. A force greater than his pain keeps him tied to the world, but what force? Fear? Duty? Masochism? Self-punishment? Because I was sure it was not hope...  
Hope had died in his life... and love, tenderness, joy, even pleasure. There remained only hate, resentment, bitterness, disappointment, and above all pain, a deep sorrow. Because when his boy descended to the grave, he had descended into hell and since then he lived there.  
Just a little will, just an effort... the metallic cannon in his temple, a simple movement of his finger, and a bullet would end the pain, would cast the curtain on that dark and sad play in which his life had become. Come on William, just an effort...  
His hand raises the weapon, the cannon rubs his temple, but his hand shakes and then he sees the face of his son, in one of the few images where he seems to sketch a smile, and knows that once again he will not be able to do it. He puts the gun on the table and starts crying desperately, almost hysterically. He picks up the bottle and throws it to the floor, breaking it to pieces, and then covers his face with his hands, while his mourning crying is heard in the living room.  
After a few moments, the face is discovered and in a corner he believes he sees his son standing, but he knows that it is a hallucination, an image projected by his mind blunt by liquor and pain. In any case, he extends his arm, as if he wanted to reach with his hand that mirage of his mind. And in tears he speaks to the image that nests in his mind...  
"Son!... What do you want from me?... Why can not I go to you?... I do not know what to do with my life!... I do not know how to live, but I can not find the courage to die!... Son... Give me a sign to know what to do! " William said, realizing that he was alone with his pain, as always... and again covered his face with his hands, crying non-stop.  
The next day, a girl was walking through a park in London, holding a little girl by the hand. The girl was very young, fresh out of adolescence. She was short, just 5 '2 feet tall, and rather thin, but with a beautiful body, a nice silhouette. The girl had white skin, straight hair and more or less long, dark brown, a sweet little girl's face and beautiful blue eyes. The girl wore a flannel, a floaty three-quarter length skirt and wore flip-flops. It was clearly a summery, very informal appearance.  
The little girl was very much like the girl, and it was obvious that they were sisters. The younger sister was seven years old, and she was very thin, and she wore a short flowery dress, and she wore flat sandals.  
The little girl seemed cheerful with her gestures and her laughter. But the older sister looked sad. When they reached a park bench, the girls sat down.  
"Kate, we need to talk," said the older sister, who by the look on her face seemed to be suffering.  
"Did I do something wrong, Victoria? " asked the little girl.  
"No, sweetheart, of course not," Victoria said, stroking the little girl's hair. "It's just... you know that Mama is still very ill..."  
"Mama's going to die! " cried Kate, and she was about to start crying.  
"No, is not that!... Mama is still very sick, but her has not gotten worse, her stays the same. But precisely because of that, she can not leave the hospital yet... and we do not know how much longer she will be there. And that's the problem, Kate... it's been months that she was admitted to the hospital, and so far we have done well alone. But... but the authorities think that I can not be responsible for you alone. Do you remember the Safeguarding's social worker who visited us the other day? Well, her report was not entirely favorable. They think that I am too young to take care of you myself... " said Victoria sad and somewhat distressed.  
"But that is ridiculous!... You are my sister and you take good care of me! " cried Kate angrily.  
"I know, sweetheart..." Victoria replied, feeling the emotion begin to emerge in her. "But they do not think alike, they think your well-being is in danger... they also know that our economic situation is very bad. My salary as a waitress is not enough for our needs, and Mama's savings are already exhausted... They know that I owe money from the rent and that they can throw us into the street, and that for working so many hours I can not take good care of you. They say that your school performance has decreased, and they do not care, what it is for all we have had to suffer us... The point is that they want to take away me your custody, they consider that I am not an appropriate guardian," added in the voice broken by the emotion and doing an effort not to cry.  
"But it's only until Mama comes back! " Kate said, wanting to cry.  
"They do not see it like that," Victoria replied.  
"They're taking me to an orphanage! " cried Kate, startled to tears.  
"No!... But they want someone else in the family to take care of you... They want you to go and live with Aunt Marie..." Victoria said with tears in her eyes.  
"No!... With Aunt Marie no!... She is very bad and does not love us! " cried the little girl crying bitterly.  
"No sweetie!... She is not bad, she is just very strict and a bit embittered. And she does not hate you, it's for me who does not have affection or patience," Victoria replied trying to calm her, but without much conviction.  
"You lie!... You and Mama hate her because she's always been very mean to us! And Uncle John is very cruel! I do not want to live with them! " Kate cried, almost hysterical.  
"Honey, I do not want you to live with them either! But I can not help it," said Victoria, crying and pouting, as if she were a child.  
"You can not let them take me!... Please Victoria! " Kate screamed in despair.  
"I can not do anything, Kate! I can not! " cried Victoria, too, desperate.  
"Liar!... You do not love me! You want to stay alone to have fun with your friends! " Kate protested, full of pain and rage, still crying.  
"That's not fair, Kate! You know that I love you and that I have tried to be like Mama to you! " Victoria cried in pain.  
"Liar, I do not love you! " cried Kate, and suddenly she stood up and ran across the lawn field behind the bench.  
"Kate, where are you going?... Came back! " Victoria shouted and tried to get up to run after her, but she slipped with her flip-flops and fell to her knees, getting a little hurt... but she stood up and tried to run after her.  
But the little girl ran very fast, not knowing very well where she was going, with her eyes full of tears and very upset, and in a short time she realized that she was lost. While her sister was desperately looking for her in the park, increasingly distressed...  
Nearby, William walked through the park distracted and sad, his mind engulfed in the dark thoughts of the night before. The place only increased his pain because there he carried his son sometimes, and it was from this desire to invoke his presence that he was walking there. He thought he was seeing the image of his son again, when a young lady running with difficulty came up screaming...  
"Kate!... Kate!" Victoria screamed in panic, crying hysterically, almost in shock.  
William saw her and had a strange feeling, a feeling he had not felt since his son's death... the desire to protect someone. After a moment of hesitation and reticence, he approached her...  
"Miss, are you all right?... Looking for someone?" William asked with concern and a tone of voice that tried to be reassuring.  
With her eyes filled with tears, Victoria turned to see the unknown man, and when their eyes met, they both felt a sudden emotion... both felt a little disturbed, as if an electric current had affected them both for a few seconds. But then the pain and worry returned Victoria to reality.  
"She's my little sister!... I've lost my little sister! " Victoria answered very anguished, without ceasing to mourn.  
"I understand, but you must calm down a bit if you want to find her... How old is your sister?" William asked, trying to be reasonable and reassuring at the same time.  
"She's seven, we call her Kate," Victoria said, pouting like a little girl.  
"How did you lose it? " asked William.  
"We were arguing, and she was very angry, and she ran away... I tried to go after her, but I fell, and when I could run I had lost sight of her," she replied.  
"Okay, maybe she did not go very far... I'm going to accompany you to find her, and in the meantime I'm going to call the emergency number, to let the police know... If we do see some of the police patrolling the park, we'll tell them too... In the meantime, keep calling her aloud, but try not to sound hysterical, because if she listens to you she may think that you are still angry with her and hide instead of leaving... Let's walk, I'll call for emergencies and then I'll pass the call to you when they ask me for a physical description of the girl," William said, pulling the cell phone out of a pocket of his pants.  
"Thank you very much, sir!... Thank you very much! " Victoria exclaimed, touching his arm with her hand, and both felt their skin prickling.  
"Calm down, you'll see how we found her... my name is William, what's your name? " William said.  
"Victoria... my name is Victoria," she replied.  
"Well, let's go Victoria," he said as he held the phone to his ear, and she began to walk with him walking beside her, Victoria calling out loudly to Kate and William calling the emergency number.  
After a moment of desperate search, William received a call from the police informing him that the girl had been found by the police and telling him that part of the park they should come to pick her up.  
When they arrived Kate was accompanied by a couple of cops, a man and a woman. Victoria ran to her and Kate also ran into her sister's arms, and both girls hugged. Victoria kissed her on the cheek and asked her several times if she was okay, and then her anger showed up.  
"Never do that again!... Never!... Do you understand? " Victoria exclaimed angrily as she crouched down and she held her sister by the arms.  
"Victoria," said William, as he laid a hand on Victoria's shoulder, as a warning when he saw the cops's eyes on the girls, and Victoria understood at the sight of them, so she let go of her sister.  
"I'm sorry, Vicky!... I promise I will not do it again! " replied the little girl sincerely repentant and ashamed.  
"Miss Victoria Walker... right?" asked the policewoman.  
"Yes, it's my name," Victoria said.  
"How did you lose your sister? " asked the police officer.  
"Well, she got angry and ran," Victoria said cautiously.  
"And why did she get angry?" asked the policewoman.  
"She..." Victoria said a little nervously, at the prospect that it would hurt them in the Safeguarding inquiries.  
"I just got mad because Victoria does not want to buy me a doll I want! I've been asking for that doll for months, and she says she has no money, we need the money to pay the rent," Kate lied, thinking she avoided problems to her sister and her, and making that William smile.  
"That's not right, young lady, your sister only does the best for you," said the man from the pair of cops.  
"I'm sorry, sir," said the little girl.  
"Is that true, Miss Victoria?" asked the policewoman.  
"Yes, ma'am," Victoria replied.  
"There is nothing else? " asked the police officer.  
"No, it was just my sister's dislike," Victoria said.  
"And your parents? " asked the man from the pair of cops.  
"Our father died and our mother has been in the hospital for months," Victoria said.  
William saw the girl and felt compassion for her, and decided to help her a little.  
"Agents, if you will allow me, I think it was all a mischief of the little girl who went wrong," said William.  
"And you…? " asked the policewoman.  
"I am William Maybourne," replied William.  
The two cops exchanged a meaningful look, which did not go unnoticed for Victoria, to which the name also sounded familiar.  
"Lord William Maybourne? I already said myself that your face seemed familiar to me, sir," said the police woman. "So you know Miss Victoria?"  
"Yes, for some time... I can give you good references of her," William replied.  
The police woman turned to see her partner, who shrugged.  
"Well, Miss Victoria can go, and next time be more careful with her sister, she ran lucky today, but she may have fallen into the hands of some criminal... Lord William, good day," said the agent.  
"Good morning, officers," said William.  
The cops left, and Victoria turned to see William.  
"Thank you, sir!... Lord William?" Victoria said excitedly.  
"William... only William. You're welcome, miss... And you're well, Miss Kate? " said William, first addressing Victoria, and then Kate.  
"Yes, thank you, sir," Kate said with a smile.  
"Do you realize what you did, Kate? We're going to be late to visit Mama at the hospital! And... alas! " Victoria said, but when she moved her legs she felt some pain, and with her hand she pulled her skirt a little to see that she had a scrape on one knee and then checked that she also had the other knee hurt.  
"You're injured Victoria, you've hurt your knees... I'll take you both to where they have to go," William said kindly.  
"No, Mr. William. We can not abuse your generosity, and you have done so much for us," Victoria replied sheepishly.  
"It's no trouble, Victoria. I have free time today to spare. I can carry them to you in my car, and you are not in a position to go by bus or subway. Especially if you're late to visit your mother," William insisted politely.  
" He's right, Victoria. The Lord is right," said Kate indiscreetly.  
"Kate! Well, all right, Mr. William-thank you very much," Victoria replied with sincere gratitude.  
William, Victoria and Kate walked to the edge of the park, slowly because Victoria's knees hurt a little. William telephoned and when they arrived at one of the exits of the park, where a large and luxurious, dark-colored limousine was waiting for them, and a middle-aged man of a strong build, a little fat perhaps, with white skin and silvery hair. Victoria and Kate gaped at the sight of the limo.  
"What a cool car! " Kate exclaimed excitedly.  
"Hello, Joe," William said.  
"Hello, Lord William," the man replied.  
"Victoria and Kate, Joseph... Joe, Victoria and Kate," said William making the introductions.  
After the warmest greetings, Joe opened the back door of the limo for them to go up. Kate went up first, and then Victoria started to come up and William gave his hand to help her, considering her injured knees.  
"Thank you! " Victoria said blushing.  
Then William got into and Joe closed the door, and quickly got behind the wheel. On the way to the hospital Kate talked a lot with William, who responded with kindness and interest, while Victoria was also trying to be nice, but she was a bit shy. Upon arriving at the hospital, William accompanied them and Victoria did not resist. To repay him, Victoria invited him a coffee in the hospital cafeteria. Victoria, Kate, and William sat at the table, chatting about what had happened in the park and how beautiful William's limousine was for Kate. At one point, Victoria received a call on her cell phone and apologized to go to answer the call and got up from the table.  
"So your mother has a lot of time in the hospital? " William asked to Kate with consideration and sympathy.  
"A long time... several months. She's very sick, and although Victoria says she's not going to die, I know it can happen," she said and started to cry.  
"Do not cry, sweetheart. Surely she will be well... And who takes care of you? " William asked with compassion and interest.  
"Victoria... we both live alone. Victoria had to drop out of school, and work full time as a waitress, and work long hours. But still the money does not reach... and poor Victoria also has to do the housework, wash, cook, help me in my tasks... That is why she is always tired and many times I see her cry," said the little sad girl.  
"I see... she's a very admirable young lady," William said as he looked at her standing talking on the phone and sometimes she turned to see them and smiled.  
"And she's very beautiful, too," Kate said.  
"No doubt about it," said William truthfully, watching the young woman who, despite her humble appearance (in cheap clothes and flip-flops) looked quite pretty.  
"And she does not have a boyfriend," Kate said mischievously and childishly.  
"You are a very funny girl! " replied William funny "But why did you fight with her in the park?... Was it really a doll? "  
"No... it was because the Safeguarding ladies say Victoria can not keep caring for me, and they want to force me to live with an aunt who is a witch, she's very bad and she treats us very badly, and her husband is worse... I do not want to live with them! " Kate said and started to cry again.  
"Easy, sweetheart! You will see that everything will turn out well... I will help you," William promised, not knowing very well why, but willing to comply.  
"Really!... Thank you, William! " exclaimed the excited little girl and embraced William in a spontaneous and tender gesture.  
William having the little girl in his arms, he remembered his own son... He remembered the feeling of love and tenderness that he felt when he embraced the small body of his son... he felt emotions contradictory, but above all, nostalgia for love warm and beautiful for an innocent creature. And without being able to avoid it, the tears started to run down his cheeks...  
Victoria approached and was surprised and was a little moved to see them. William pulled away from the little girl and wiped his tears with the back of one hand.  
"Sorry, it's just..." William said, but he broke off without being able to continue.  
"Easy, Mr. William, I understand," Victoria said tenderly.  
"Your sister... told me what you had to do for her. You're a very admirable young lady, Victoria," William told him truthfully.  
"No, I only do what anyone would do for family... When you are responsible for a child who carries your blood and who you love," Victoria replied modestly.  
William felt a lot of things stir inside him again.  
After a few minutes, Victoria was saying goodbye to William because she and Kate were to go up to see their mother.  
"Victoria, I've arranged for Joe stays with the limo to take you home. He will wait for the time that is necessary, I will return in another of my cars," said William very kind, charming.  
"No, please... It's not necessary, I do not want to abuse your generosity. I do not want to be profiteer," Victoria replied with much embarrassment.  
"I insist!... If you do not accept my offer, I will see it as a snub... And do not worry, I love driving my other cars," William answered.  
At that moment there was a loud engine noise and a car, a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, appeared in the hospital parking lot, which stopped at some distance from them, next to the limo. A young man got out of the car and waved at William, who responded with a gesture to wait for him at the side of the car.  
"It's... it's your other car! " Victoria said perplexedly.  
"Yes," he answered quietly.  
"I want to ride in that car! " Kate exclaimed excitedly.  
"Kate! " Victoria rebuked her.  
"Maybe another day!... See you ladies," said William, waving a charming smile.  
"See you later Lord Willi... William," Victoria said uncertainly on what to call him, "Thank you very much, for everything! You are an angel! "  
William walked away from them and approached Joe and the man who came down from the Lamborghini.  
"Thank you, Alfred. Get on the copilot's seat, Let's go," he said to the young man. "Joe, take them home, please, and... write down the address, I'll need that information," William said.  
"Yes, sir," replied Joe, expressionless.  
William got behind the wheel of the Lamborghini and he left with a roar the engine. Victoria and Kate stared at each other for a moment, then entered.  
That night William was sitting in his favorite armchair, drinking a glass of wine, thoughtful. Then he took the cell phone from the table and dialed a number from the device's memory.  
"Hello... yes, good evening to you too," William said in a relaxed, thoughtful tone. "I need a personal security report on Victoria Walker... your address I send it to you in a message to your cell phone... it must be absolutely exhaustive, Life, especially your relationships and your private life... top priority, I need it as soon as possible... thank you."  
William took the rest of the glass in one gulp and threw his head back, deep in thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I must be crazy to write three stories at the same time. Or simply my insomnia has been combined with other factors to awaken in me an excess of creativity... Anyway, this story came to me mind and I needed to put it in writing, I could not wait to finish the others to do it. But do not worry, I will continue with the other stories and the next one I write will be the update of another of my stories.


	2. The day her life changed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord William has taken an uncommon decision regarding Victoria, and his plans will put the girl's life in his hands. But how will she react to such an incredible intervention in her life?

The next day, William was in a large, luxurious, modern office in an office tower... the office had a stunning view of London. William was walking with one hand pressing a stress ball, listening to what was said by a tall, thin, bad-looking man who looked like a policeman or a secret agent.  
"Victoria Walker, 18 years old, will turn 19 in a couple of months, her exact date of birth is in the report" read aloud the man in a folder in his hands "For more than a year she works at full time as a waitress in a big cafe in central London... She lives with her younger sister in a small apartment in Enfield. Her economic situation is very precarious, her owes two months of rent and soon it will be three months. Her father Edward Walker was military, a sergeant of the Royal British Army, he was destined in Afghanistan and Iraq, died five years ago..."  
"In the war? " William asked interested and compassionate.  
"No... on his return from his last mission on the foreign, he was kept out of service for psychological reasons, and shortly afterwards he asked for the discharge and they granted it. But in his civil life he showed many problems, originated for posttraumatic stress disorder... he ended up becoming alcoholic and had serious problems with his wife, and in the end they separated. Shortly afterwards he suffered an accident while driving drunk and died..."  
"A sad and unworthy end for a veteran," murmured William.  
"Victoria's mother and Edward's widow is Louise Walker, maiden name Leibbrandt..."  
"Leibbrandt? " William asked in surprise.  
"Yes, she's German... she met her husband when he was destined at a NATO military facility in Germany. They married and came to live in Britain. She was a nurse practitioner, but since she became ill almost two years ago she could not continue working. She has been hospitalized for eight months... she has a rare disease whose diagnosis and nature are contained in the report. It is a very unpredictable and risky disease, its prognosis is difficult, her can die today, or to have an improvement and live a few years more, but in any case with many limitations, especially her motor skill."  
"A family cursed by fate! " William exclaimed, remembering his own misfortune. "And as for Victoria's personal life... Is she promiscuous? Do she have vices... alcohol, drugs?  
"No, the girl is clean... she does not even smoke and drink very little alcohol, she seems to have developed a certain aversion to alcohol because of the alcoholism of her late father... She does not have a love record very long... it seems that she has had a single boyfriend, in High school and it seems that they ended up poorly... apparently she does not have an active sex life, and since her mother's illness worsened she hardly has a social life. She only has two friends whom she sees frequently, and both work with her, and usually they see each other at work or in Victoria's apartment... As for the issue of Safeguarding, it is true that they want to remove custody of her sister to give it to a maternal aunt who lives in London. But it is not because of her personal behavior, because even the social workers recognize that she is an exemplary sister and substitute mother in such a difficult situation... it is due to being very young and their economic situation they do not believe that she alone can with the responsibility..."  
"I understand, thank you, it's a very thorough work as usual. I'll read the rest myself, thank you very much," said William.  
"A pleasure to serve you, Lord William," said the man, putting the report on the desk and retreating.  
William walked to the large windows and glanced at the landscape of London, still squeezing the stress ball.  
"To communicate with Jane," William said aloud.  
"Lord William," said a pleasant female voice over a loudspeaker.  
"Jane, I need you to contact an individual whose information I'm going to give you, I also need you to speak to the managers responsible for relations with the local authorities in London... I need to know who we meet at the Enfield Council as soon as possible," said William in a calm tone.  
Another day later, Victoria was in her apartment helping her sister with homework, when the doorbell rang. Victoria went to open the door (she was dressed in a vaporous short dress and walked barefoot) and with displeasure met her landlord.  
"Mr. Davies, forgive me, but I..." Victoria said, feeling miserable and humiliated, and preparing for Mr. Davies's rage and rude manners.  
"No, do not worry, Miss Walker," replied Mr. Davies, fat, short and middle-aged, with a rather disheveled appearance and ugly face.  
"Miss Walker! " Victoria exclaimed in surprise, for she was accustomed to him calling her simply Victoria, when he did not give her other insulting qualifiers...  
"Yes, Miss Walker... I only came to bring you this," he said, handing her some papers.  
"And what is this?... The eviction order? " Victoria asked with some fear and anger.  
"Of course not! It's the receipts for a whole year's rent from her apartment, which were already canceled in advance," said Mr. Davies helpfully.  
"What!... Are you trying to tell me that someone has paid a whole year's rent of my house?... You make fun of me! " Victoria asked in disbelief and anger.  
"Not at all!... Your friend paid me with cash," Mr. Davies defended.  
"What friend?... I do not know what you're talking about! " Victoria exclaimed, confused.  
"Lord William Maybourne."  
Victoria froze and her face paled with surprise... Kate heard the conversation rise and ran to the door.  
"William said he would help us! You see Victoria, he's taking care of us."  
"Kate, come back to your chores! " Victoria exclaimed in a scolding tone.  
Kate came back grumbling to the table.  
"Well, I'll leave the receipts for you... up to one year you will not have to worry about rent. Goodbye, Miss Walker," said Mr. Davies, who remembered his conversation with the powerful man in the backseat of a limousine as he saw the driver's gunslinger's face and remembered the courteous but intimidating warning of the Lord to treat Victoria well.  
Victoria closed the door and walked to the table where her sister worked with the receipts in her hands.  
"This can not..." Victoria was about to say, but then the apartment phone rang.  
When Victoria picked up the phone, she was surprised to hear that it was a Safeguarding call and that she was notified that the date to hand over her sister's custody to her aunt had been postponed, and owing to a new information would hold a hearing on a date yet to be determined to decide on the subject. Victoria cried with joy and hugged her sister, who also wept with happiness.  
When she thought there would be no more surprises, the doorbell rang again, and when Victoria opened she found a deliveryman carrying a huge bouquet of white orchids. The bouquet was for Victoria Walker. She signed the acknowledgment receipt, and rummaged in her purse until she found a small tip for the delivery man. After closing the door, she read the card that accompanied the bouquet, before the excitement of her sister.  
"I hope these flowers brighten your day, as a girl as brave and exemplary as you deserve. By the time you read this I hope you have received the good news from Mr. Davies and from Safeguarding, as I told your pretty sister, I will not leave you alone. Soon I will meet with you to explain everything and inform you of certain things that may interest you. Lord William Maybourne," Victoria read aloud, and then she was speechless from the surprise.  
"How cool! William wants you to be his girlfriend! " Kate said happily.  
"What nonsense are you saying Kate! " Victoria replied, confused and angry.  
"Of course, Vicky! He sent you flowers because he likes you! And he paid the rent and talked to the witches of Safeguarding so that they would leave us alone... He's in love with you, Victoria! " said the excited little girl.  
"Do not be silly! That man barely knows me... and he's too old for me, I could be his daughter," Victoria replied defensively, though there was a certain hesitation in her tone as if what her sister was saying were not at all crazy.  
"I do not care! I want you to be his girlfriend... William is cool! " Kate demanded.  
"Do not be spoiled! And better forget about such nonsense... A rich man like that can not be interested in a poor girl like me, and even if it were, I'm not looking for a boyfriend... and if I were looking for it, you would not choose it for me. Now sit down and finish your task," Victoria said with authority.  
"You're very dumb Victoria! " Kate protested sulkily.  
The two sat down to finish the task, but Victoria's mind was far away, in that man...  
The night of that day William received in his house a friend and also his lawyer (the head of his team of lawyers, in fact) Ephraim Josephson. He was a forty man, more or less tall, with a normal build (perhaps with a few extra pound-weight), a pleasant face, and some gray hairs in his smooth light brown hair.  
"Man, I'm intrigued... I do not know, that it was so urgent and personal that you wanted to argue with me in your house and not in the office," Ephraim said, taking a seat on a sofa.  
"You'd better have a whiskey with me, because when you hear what I want you to do, I'm sure you're going to need it," William said with a ironic smile while he put a glass of whiskey in hand of his friend.  
"You're scaring me... do not tell me you're a new Bernie Madoff," Ephraim replied half seriously and half jokingly.  
"You are very funny!... No, nothing so serious," William replied with a funny and sarcastic smile as he sat down in an armchair in front of his friend, with his own glass of whiskey in his hand.  
A while later they were both arguing.  
"William, as your lawyer, I can do whatever you want... but as your friend I tell you this is crazy.... Absolute madness! You can not do it, it would be..." said Ephraim in despair.  
"I will not change my mind, the decision is made. And you know when I say something, I do not say it lightly. Now I expect you to respect it and do your part," replied William.  
"I know, you're stubborn as a mule. All I can do is minimize the damage... to preventive control of damage and to make agreements so armored as possible from the legal point of view" resigned Ephraim said.  
"You already have data from Victoria, I have sent to you" William said while he manipulating his mobile phone "And of course, I hope the attorney-client privilege protect this matter... I say this from my sister, especially" he added.  
"No need to tell me! Your sister will kill you" Ephraim answered.  
"I already know that! " he exclaimed.  
The next day Victoria was at work in the cafeteria, when she received a call on her mobile phone and after asking a colleague to cover her retired to a corner to take the call.  
"Victoria, I'm William Maybourne."  
"Lord William, how did you get my pho...? Well, I imagine... Thank you for the flowers and everything else" Victoria said cautiously.  
"You're welcome!... Victoria, I need to talk to you in person, if it's possible today," William said.  
"Lord William, I thank you very much for everything, sincerely... but you understand that all this is..." replied Victoria uncertain and nervous.  
"Victoria, believe me that I understand your doubts perfectly, I would think the same in your place. But I promise you that I only intend to help you and your sister because your story has reminded me of difficult moments in my own past. In any case, we must discuss your situation with the Safeguarding, because I have only been able to delay the process and obtain a reconsideration of the custody decision of your sister, but they can still ratify their initial decision and send your sister to your aunt... That is why we must speak, because I believe that I have a definitive solution to your problem, so that you keep custody of your sister and solve all your problems," insisted William.  
Victoria thought for a moment, then gave a resigned look on her face.  
"Okay, I can see you when I get off work. It's still five hours to go," she replied.  
"If you want I send my driver for you..." William offered.  
"No, thank you... but I'd rather go by taxi. Now that I do not have to pay the rent thanks to you, I have a little more money," said Victoria, who actually wanted to prevent William from knowing where she was working, not knowing that he already knew.  
"All right, as you wish," replied William.  
"Where will we meet? " Victoria asked.  
"At the Maybourne Tower," he answered matter-of-factly.  
It was late in the evening when Victoria stepped down from a London taxi at the entrance to the Maybourne Tower, the office tower that was the headquarters of the Maybourne Corporation. She was still dressed in her waitress's uniform, with a coat over her, and white sneakers. As she entered the reception hall of the tower, she was greeted by Joe, who escorted her to the highest floor, where William's large, luxurious office was. He greeted her with a gentle handshake, and then they sat down, her on a couch and him in an armchair.  
"William, I want to sincerely and heartily thank you for what you have done for us... Few people would do something similar for strangers. I'm really touched by your gesture. And of course I will pay you whatever the rent money," Victoria said a little excited and voice a little broken.  
"It's not necessary, Victoria. I do not pretend you give me back that money, I do not consider it a loan," replied William very kindly.  
"But I must insist, my mother taught us to have dignity despite being poor and not accepting alms. I thank you with all my heart for your generosity, but..." Victoria replied.  
"Victoria, I understand and it's something that honors you and your mother. But to consider alms my help and insist on repaying the money could be interpreted as a snub," William said quietly.  
"No, please... that's not my intention, I..." Victoria began.  
"Then let's not talk any more... now we must talk about the process of custody of your sister."  
William explained the point of the Safeguarding process and for Victoria's anguish, he explained how it was still very likely that her sister's custody would be taken away.  
"In conclusion, it is necessary to provide a stable environment in every way to ensure that you keep custody of your sister. But that requires many changes... However, do not worry... From now on I'm going to make myself responsible for the two of you staying together..." William said.  
Victoria shifted nervously, then stood up.  
"Forgive, William, or Lord William... I do not want to be rude or ungrateful, but I need to understand it... No one takes responsibility for the life of someone it have just met. I am very young and inexperienced, but... everyone knows that nobody gives anything for nothing. You look like a good person, but I need to understand why you do this," Victoria replied honestly and trying to look assured, but nervous.  
William rose to his feet and Victoria stepped back, as if fearful, and felt her breathing quicken.  
"You're right Victoria. You are an intelligent and mature girl for your age, as well as brave and sincere. That's what I like about you, be frank and direct, and get to the point... You are the kind of people, who do not waste time on nonsense... and that's why you deserve the truth" said William very seriously and with a slightly dark and murky look on her, reflection of feelings contradictory inside "...certainly there is something I want in return of my help... I want to you," he added flatly, though a slight tremor ran through his body.  
Victoria opened her mouth and her face showed fear and surprise. Her gesture went from the shock of fear and surprise, to a gesture of anger, a badly contained anger, and wounded pride. And tears of rage began to spring from her eyes, while her body trembled...  
"So that's what it is!... A whim of a rich bastard! " Victoria exclaimed in a voice that reflected cold anger.  
"Wait, Victoria! Do not say or do anything you can regret it... You must hear me first, I..." said William serious but comprehensive and somewhat embarrassed.  
"No need to explain, my Lord! " Victoria's tone reflected sarcasm and contempt. "The powerful Lord wishes to possess the poor maid, and knows that he will have me because I can not say no, for my sister and my mother... Just tell me where my Lord wishes..."  
Victoria had taken off her coat as she entered the office, and she is in her waitress uniform. She began to unfasten the blouse of her uniform, showing part of her bras.  
"What are you doing? " asked William more seriously, rather tense.  
"To satisfy my lord's wish... I hope you do not mind that I dress in this uniform of a waitress so vulgar, and I hope you do not mind my smell of sweat and cheap food... If you have a showerbath here, I can bathe for you... or maybe it's part of my charm as a working poor girl, maybe you like my smell of dirtiness..." Victoria said weeping with anger and a look of hatred.  
"Victoria's enough! " cried William angrily.  
"Where you want to possess me!... On the couch, or on the floor, or on your desk, or...? " Victoria continued furiously as she resumed the work of unzipping the buttons on her blouse.  
"Enough! " William exclaimed, unable to bear it any longer, and he stepped forward to try to grasp her wrists so she would not continue unbuttoning her blouse, but she gave him a swipes and he stood back.  
"Do not touch me! " Victoria shouted, her true feeling rising.  
"I do not want to touch you! I just want you to stop taking off your blouse... I do not want to have sex with you, you silly girl! " cried William angrily.  
"You said you wanted me!... If you do not want sex, what the hell do you want from me! " cried Victoria desperately, as she buttoned her blouse.  
"I want you to marry me."  
Victoria was paralyzed, her eyes wide and her mouth a little open, too, in a gesture of great surprise. After a few moments, she began to laugh almost hysterically.  
"Now you makes fun of me!... I leave, I am not nobody's buffoon! " said Victoria stopped laughing and trying to leave.  
"Wait!... If you leave without listening to me, your sister will have a hellish life with your aunt, your mother may miss the only opportunity to survive or at least prolong her life and you will not be able to escape the nightmare in which you live. Of the decision you make tonight could depend on the future of your family... I only ask you to listen to me for five minutes, and then you can leave and forget me, if you wish," William said vehemently as he stood in her way.  
"It's okay! I give you your minutes," she answered, still hesitating.  
He approached a table by the sofa and took a document, and handed it to her.  
"Taking," said William.  
"What is this? " Victoria asked suspiciously as she looked at the document with interest.  
"It's a request for custody of your sister... a request from my team of lawyers, so that you are appointed as her legal guardian, but not as Victoria Walker but as Victoria Maybourne... as my wife... And the request also asks for the legal tutoring of your sister for both you and me, as a couple... as husband and wife," answered William.  
Victoria saw what would be her married name in the document, along with legal slang about being able to offer a stable and beneficial environment for the little girl, especially from the economic point of view, but also from the point of view of the personal references of Lord William as father and legal guardian.  
"With that request, backed by my background and resources, it is impossible for us to be denied custody as a married couple... You should also see this" William said while extending another document "It is a request to enter your mother in a medical center private where they develop a revolutionary experimental method for the disease of your mother, a very expensive method, that I am going to pay."  
Victoria saw the request confused and anxious, feeling her pulse racing.  
"I am willing to spend the amount that is necessary to give your mother the most innovative and extraordinary medical treatments, even to take her to the United States in a medicalized plane if she need... As for your sister, I will guarantee her future, not only she will not have to get away from you and your mother, but she will receive the best education money can afford and she will have the best opportunities in life. And obviously you will not have to continue working, you can dedicate to study what you want and have the professional career that you want, if you want some... I want you to see this too," said William giving her another document.  
Victoria took the document with shaking hands and becoming more excited and nervous.  
"It's a legal marriage promise... a notarized document in which I promise to marry you, and if I do not keep my promise within the deadline, with that document you can sue me in court and demand compensation from one a million pounds sterling," William said quietly.  
Victoria opened her eyes in surprise and saw him as if he had said the most shocking she had heard in her life.  
"Do not worry, if you do not want to get married you do not have to pay me anything, because you do not commit yourself to anything... The commitment is exclusively mine, a one-sided promise. But if you want to marry me and I'll back off, I'll have to compensate you with that amount of money... On the other hand, we have this..." he said going to the desk and taking out what looked like a file, as if it were a 200 page book, putting it in a piece of furniture next to Victoria. "It is the prenuptial agreement, where all the economic conditions of marriage are fixed... as soon as possible you must look for a lawyer, the lawyer you choose, to study that agreement and the other documents that I have given you... Not only will that lawyer certify that everything is honest and legal, but will advise you and tell you what is best for you, and eventually negotiate on your behalf with my attorneys... That is why it is important that you find a lawyer that you trust so study the whole thing before you sign anything. But I can tell you that the agreement provides good financial compensation for you if you divorce me after at least five years of marriage or if I divorce you at any time, even the day after the wedding. A millionaire compensation that will allow you to live as rich the rest of your life."  
Victoria was still shocked by the surprise, unable to react. She read over the papers in her hands, but she did not understand much and her hands trembled.  
"Why are you making fun of me? Why are you so cruel! " Victoria said, crying like a little girl.  
"Do you think I'm so bad as to make fun of you in your situation?... I'm not making fun of you! I do not want to hurt you, on the contrary... That's why I've put everything in writing, especially my promise of marriage notarized... and that's why I ask you to go to any lawyer in this city that you choose to review the documents and certify that they are authentic. And then I want you to come with your lawyer to meet me and my lawyers to close the deal before you sign it. Take all the printed documents and also this UBS memoir containing copy of all of them" he said putting the small artifact in her hand. "Look for a lawyer, Victoria, I will pay his fees, and you will see that everything is true," said William serene and reassuring, even friendly.  
"But I do not understand!... You just met me! You does not know who I am, you does not really know anything about me... Why...? " Victoria asked angrily and still crying.  
"Why do I want to marry you? I have my reasons and in time I'll explain, but this is not the best time... You have to assimilate everything we talked about tonight, and I know it's not easy. I can only tell you that I'm not crazy, even if it seems to be the opposite... " William said and smiled wryly at the last words, "And of course, I assure you that I am not dangerous and I do not want to do you any harm. And my offer, as I said is honest... Victoria, you are a wonderful girl and you deserve something much better than what life has given you until now. Please, do not waste for fear the opportunity to end your suffering and that of your family."  
Victoria stared into his eyes, those green eyes that intimidated her a little with that intense and difficult to decipher look. And she felt that, somehow, he was bewitching her with the look.  
"Victoria, I beg you to go home tonight and think about everything we have talked about... I beg you, that you accept that my driver take you to your house because you have to take all these documents... I ask you please that tomorrow you get a lawyer and take these documents for he to review, and you will understand what is at stake here... But above all I ask you to think everything calmly and without prejudice, which reflections on my proposal with cold mind... And when you are ready, we will speak calmly. I'll be waiting, I will not go anywhere, nor will I regret it," William said affectionately, almost charmingly.  
Victoria looked at him in silence, not knowing what to say to that strange man and his absurd and strange behavior.  
"Here, dry your tears," William said, extending his arm and giving her a handkerchief. "Allow me a minute," he added after she accepted the handkerchief and then went to the office door and opened it and called Joe "Please Joe, pick up those documents Miss Victoria has and take them to the car and then take her home."  
Joe hurried to comply, and Victoria walked behind him, as if she were in shock. William took Victoria's coat and walked over to her.  
"Can I help you with the coat? " asked William.  
She nodded and she stood with her back to him so that he would put the coat over her, and when she felt the man's breath on the nape of her neck and his hands wrapping the coat on her body, Victoria shuddered as if she had felt a sudden freezing current . William slowly pulled away and she turned to look at him.  
"Good evening, Victoria," William said, his eyes intense and disturbing.  
She opened her mouth to answer, but she could not, and he smiled sympathetically, and turned away from her to approach the mini bar in the office. Victoria walked to the door, but paused for a moment and turned to see William pour himself a swig of whiskey and then head for the window to see the view of London, as if he were not aware of what was around him and less of her. Then Victoria left.  
That night Victoria could not sleep, and over and over she turned on the light from the small lamp beside her bed and read some of the documents William gave her and she put there. Victoria remembered her mother, thought of her sister, remembered her family's problems, and recreated in her mind the images of her conversation with William. Sometimes she cried and sometimes she imagined what her life would be like if she accepted that absurd proposal...  
The next day on a break from her job in the cafeteria, Victoria was seated on a flight of stairs in the alley behind the cafeteria, accessed by a door that connected the alley with the kitchen. Her two friends and co-workers Nancy and Harriet were smoking cigarettes, Harriet leaning against a wall and Nancy sitting on a box. All three wore their uniforms as waitresses.  
Victoria was thoughtful, as if she were in another galaxy, and paid no attention to what her friends were saying, who were laughing at anecdotes that had happened to them. Suddenly Victoria spoke when her friends paused in their conversation, their last laughter hardly extinguished.  
"A billionaire wants to marry me," Victoria said in a neutral voice and expressionless expression on her face, as if she were commenting on the weather.  
Her surprised friends saw her and then laughed.  
"Yes, of course! And Prince Harry wants to marry me! " exclaimed Harriet mockingly.  
"And I was proposed by Chris Evans! " exclaimed Nancy, laughing.  
Victoria was serious and quiet.  
"Victoria... what's the matter? " Nancy asked, looking serious and worried.  
"The billionaire I told you about the other day, the one who helped Kate and me in the park... he proposed marriage to me... if that's a marriage proposal," said Victoria, who was still a little absent.  
"You're fucking crazy, Victoria!... right?" Harriet said in disconcerted and incredulous.  
"No, I'm not kidding, but it certainly sounds like a joke.... That man paid a year's rent for my apartment, helped me with Kate's case to the Safeguarding, and then made me go to his headquarters, his luxurious Batcave, and there he offers to help me with all my problems, save my family and give me a fairytale princess life, if I marry him. But instead of a ring he gave me a mountain of legal papers drafted by his lawyers, of which I do not understand a word and now I must take a lawyer to explain. But... that yes I marry him I will literally bathe in millions of pounds... I... a humble waitress! And I spent all night thinking about this, because... because... Oh my God, help me because I do not know what to do!... I do not know what that man wants from me! " Victoria exclaimed at last, her voice broken with emotion and she burst into tears like a little girl, hiding her face in her hands.  
Nancy came over and sat down beside her, and began to caress her back as Victoria leaned back in her.  
"Easy, sweetheart!... Easy! " exclaimed Nancy, trying to comfort her.  
Harriet also came and put a hand on Victoria's head, stroking her hair... and Victoria continued to cry in distress, the day she began to think that her life was in the hands of William...


	3. A Very Unusual Legal Consultation.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria and her friends investigate a little about William's life, and find out something disturbing. Meanwhile the girls seek the advice of a lawyer, and very nervous Victoria prepares for her reunion with William.

"It's clear, Victoria! That guy wants to fuck you," Harriet said as if she was giving her professional opinion on a subject she was an expert on.  
"Do not be an idiot, Harriet! If he only wanted to fuck her, he would have demanded sex the same night that she went to his office and would not have taken so much trouble with all this marriage matter... Also, do not you think it's a very high price for get laid? " replied Nancy Skerrett with some impatience.  
"Well, maybe he want to have her as his sex slave... or maybe it's a case like 'Fifty Shades of Grey'... a billionaire disturbed and a bit sexually perverted, but vulnerable, obsessed with a girl with no money, a modern version and dark of Cinderella," answered Harriet confidently.  
"The difference is that Christian Gray fell in love with Anastasia before he wanted to marry her... this guy does not even know Victoria, he's barely seen her a pair of times," Nancy said.  
"Well, that's true... I do not think a handsome man and also with money can fall in love with Victoria after seeing her a pair of times," Harriet replied thoughtfully.  
"Thanks Harriet! Girls, why, instead of arguing, do not we do what we have come to do? " Victoria protested impatiently.  
"You're right Vicky, let's see," Nancy said.  
The girls were in Nancy's house in her bedroom. Nancy opened her computer, while Victoria and Harriet watched the screen.  
"William Maybourne..." said Harriet, typing the name in a search engine and immediately appeared thousands of results, "Wow! " she added when she saw the images of William.  
"It's him!... That guy is very hot! " Harriet exclaimed. "In person, is he so handsome, Vicky? " she added, questioning Victoria.  
"I do not know it Harriet, the first time I was very distressed at what I had just happened to Kate, and the second time I was too shocked and disgusted by his unusual proposal of marriage... the last thing I noticed was in his physical appearance," Victoria replied with annoyance and reluctance, even though she knew she was partially lying.  
"Come on Vicky!... You expect us to believe you did not notice him? " replied Harriet wryly.  
"He's very handsome... he's too hot to be a man who at least doubles my age," Victoria replied with a little more sincerity.  
"He's really hot! " continued Harriet while seeing some images of him in some beach of the world sporting a muscled and well worked torso, "I would fuck it to him! " she exclaimed.  
"You would fuck Mr. Pierce... the fat old man who was our math teacher in high school! " Nancy said mockingly.  
"Do not be stupid, Nancy!... Well, maybe with a lot of beers on it..." Harriet said with mockery and irony.  
"Girls, please! Let's focus on my crazy stalker," Victoria protested impatiently.  
"You're right, Vicky... Let's see... Wow!... Are you watching this? " said Nancy pointing to the screen, where the headline of an article housed in a media site. "Here says that he is the fifth richest person in the United Kingdom and has a fortune of... almost 12,000 million of pounds sterling! "  
"12 billion pounds!... Fuck him Vicky, fuck him! " cried Harriet.  
"Shut up, Harriet! " Victoria replied disgusted and disconcerted.  
"He owns a powerful corporation with investments in different industries... Look at these articles, the guy relates to the most famous, rich and powerful people in the world," Nancy said.  
For a long time the girls were reviewing several articles about William, more and more impressed with what they saw...  
"The guy in the past has dated very hot women... even models of Victoria's Secret... Why the hell does he want to marry Vicky? " Harriet said in astonishment.  
"Hey, thank you very much! " exclaimed Victoria, wounded in her pride.  
"Well, Vicky... it must be recognized that a man who can have almost any woman in the world and who has been a lover of some of the most desirable women, even the hottest top models, is very rare that he notice a woman like you or us. We are not at the level of a man like this, we play in another league," Nancy said thoughtfully.  
"I know, I am not so dumb and much less vain... I know that I am not competition for a perfect body goddess, I would like to have the body of one of those models... But for that very reason I do not understand anything, I do not know what is proposed that man," Victoria said, worried and confused.  
"Maybe that may explain his insanity... click there," Harriet said, pointing to a link to a story.  
Nancy clicked on the link, and the three girls gestured in surprise their faces.  
"Oh my God! " exclaimed Nancy, with surprise, horror, and compassion.  
After reading the news and discussing it for a long time, until they was exhausted, Victoria felt more confused than ever.  
"Of course, that explains everything... the man went crazy after that," Harriet said, as if she had solved a great mystery.  
"In that case, it's not his fault... Poor man! " Nancy replied with pity.  
"No one deserves to suffer such a great pain!... Life sucks at times," said Victoria shocked and sad.  
"Do you really feel compassion for him, Vicky?" Nancy asked, sympathetic to her kind friend.  
"Of course, Nancy... I feel compassion for anyone who has suffered such a tragedy. I also suffered a tragedy with my father, and I could suffer it soon with my mother, remember? " Victoria answered, touched, tears welling up in her eyes.  
"I know honey... I know what you have had to endure..." said Nancy tightening affectionately her friend's hand, "But back to the subject, maybe Harriet is right. We can not rule out that this tragedy has driven man to madness, and all this nonsense is the product of a disturbed mind, and of course that worries me about you, my sweetie," she added.  
"If you marry him, you'll have to sleep with a knife under the pillow," Harriet said.  
"Harriet! " Nancy cried reproachfully "Now, seriously, we must consider the possibility that he is disturbed, and consider if him represents a danger for you," added Nancy addressing Victoria.  
"Not to be repeated, the case of Pistorius!" cried Harriet.  
"Harriet!... Do not scare Vicky! Besides, this is serious," Nancy scolded.  
"You girls will think I'm crazy, but... but I have the intuition that deep down he's not a bad man... I do not know, I've known many bad people unfortunately, and this guy does not look bad... When I'm with him no I feel danger, I do not feel that my alarms awaken... on the contrary, even if it seems crazy, the pair times that I have been to his side I felt safe... I felt protected," Victoria said reflecting aloud, verbalizing her confused and contradictory feelings.  
"Love at first sight, Vicky?" Harriet asked mischievously.  
"Do not be silly, Harriet! " Victoria replied, but deep inside she had some doubt... because especially in her second encounter, with him, she felt something strange that she could not define, and of just thinking of him felt something strange in the stomach. "I just say that him does not seem a bad man, or at least dangerous... that is something very different to say that I want to fuck him."  
"So, you imagined it out," Harriet said mockingly.  
"You are impossible! " Victoria protested angrily.  
"Let's focus, girls... on the other hand, it's also possible that he is a sensitive man, broken by the pain of his tragedy... You say that he was moved with Kate, surely reminded his son... Maybe he began to move with your sister, and your situation... and why not? Maybe you liked him, because he found in you qualities that he does not find in those spectacular women, qualities that can heal his wounds... Perhaps he admire your sensitivity and strength, I do not know... But of course, his intentions seem crazy and hasty, but that may be due to his trauma, I do not know," said Nancy.  
"I understand, Nancy... but for whatever reason it is very violent, absurd and even frightening. If he would have invited me out at least a pair of times before proposing marriage me... but so?... And besides, he practically buying me with money, as if I were a product of Harrods, with a bar code on my forehead," Victoria replied.  
"So you want to reject his proposal? " Nancy asked.  
"No, I did not say that," Victoria said.  
"Then you want to accept it? " asked Harriet.  
"I did not say that either!... I do not know what to do, now less, after knowing this man's past... but also after confirming that he can fulfill all the promises he made to me, if I do marry with him," Victoria replied.  
"Victoria, honey, before you make the final decision we must take the next step... We must go to a lawyer like the William asked you... Are you sure that lawyer is legit, Harriet? "  
"Well, I think so, at least that my cousin was not so bad. And in any case, we do not have much to choose from, do we? " replied Harriet.  
"That's true," Victoria said.  
The next day, the three girls were in the anteroom of the small, modest office of a lawyer, who, judging by the look of his office, should not have much money. After the previous client left the office, an old, scruffy-looking man, who was constantly sneezing, and passing them a lascivious glance at the three girls (causing Harriet to make a rude gesture with her finger, before Nancy held her hand) the girls entered the lawyer's office.  
The lawyer was a middle-aged man and a little fat, with an ugly frog face. A man who had sometimes been told that he had some resemblance to the portraits of a Victorian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel.  
"Good morning ladies, my name is Robert Pearson," said the lawyer.  
After the corresponding presentations, the lawyer sat behind the desk and the girls sat across from him with the desk in the middle.  
"Then you're Harriet, boy Bolton's cousin... A complex case," said Robert.  
"No doubt clashing with a police patrol car, while he drove drugged is never an easy affair, is it? " replied Harriet.  
Victoria and Nancy turned to see Harriet with serious looks and some stupefaction.  
"And let's not forget the stolen items inside his car... anyway, at least we got the least condemnation possible. Have you visited him in prison? " said Robert.  
"Yes, he has adapted beautifully to the prison," replied Harriet.  
"Good boy," Robert said, smiling.  
Victoria and Nancy exchanged glances of dismay.  
"Well, young ladies, what brings you here?... A traffic accident, perhaps?... Labor problems? " Robert asked kindly, but a little silly.  
"No," Nancy said.  
"Criminal charges?... A paternity claim? " Robert asked stupidly.  
"No, we always use condoms," Harriet said, and seeing the disapproving glances of her friends, "I do it... is not it what to do? "  
Nancy shook her head as if denying it, and then Victoria took the documents out of her bag and placed them on the desk.  
"I think I should begin by telling you about my chance meeting with Lord William Maybourne," Victoria said earnestly.  
After a long discussion on the matter and with Robert very surprised studying the documents prepared by the legal team of William, the lawyer could not finish believing what they had told him.  
"So, this is all real... is not that a joke?" Robert asked, looking astonished.  
"Mr. Pearson, do you really think we would have taken so much trouble to play a joke on you?... It's my life... the future of my family! I would not joke about it," Victoria replied, emotionally and a little angry.  
"Excuse me, Miss Walker... forgive me... But this is something you do not see every day. Lord William Maybourne is the sixth richest person in the UK..." said Robert.  
"Actually it's the fifth, with a fortune of almost 12 billion pounds... we've researched it on the internet," replied Nancy.  
"That's right!... Besides, he is a member of the House of Lords, he belongs to one of England's oldest and most influential noble families, I even think he is a distant cousin to the Queen... a very distant cousin, but cousin at last. In any case, he is very close to the Royal Family, especially to Prince Charles and his sons," Robert explained.  
"My God, may you introduce me to Prince Harry, Vicky!" Harriet exclaimed, but stopped when Nancy elbowed him.  
"According to what these documents say, he promises to marry you, Miss Walker. Naturally, you can propose marriage to someone and then retract, and the law can not force you to marry. But if you put that promise in writing, in a notarized document and you agree to pay monetary compensation to the person to whom you promised marriage in case of not fulfilling your promise within a period established in the document, that person can demand you payment of such compensation. In this case Lord William has promised to pay you a million pounds if he retracts his promise and does not marry you..." said Robert.  
"One million! " cried Harriet.  
"Yes, he had mentioned it to me," Victoria said.  
"You forgot to mention the amount, Vicky," Nancy told her.  
"Yes, it's true, I'm sorry."  
"And in case you were the one who did not want to get married, you would not have to pay him anything at all, for it's a one-sided promise," Robert went on to explain. "But there's more... If the marriage is finally made, and Lord William divorces you for no apparent reason before the five years of marriage are completed or if the marriage ends within that time period for any cause attributable to Lord William, he will must pay you five million pounds sterling..."  
"Five million! " Nancy and Harriet exclaimed in unison, while Victoria was silent and looked surprised.  
"Yes, five million... of course, if the marriage would be terminated before the five years of the wedding, because you want to divorce him for no apparent reason or for a cause attributable to you, something like infidelity... in that case you would not get a cent," Robert continued. "But there's more... after five years of marriage, if the marriage is terminated for any reason... for whatever reason, either because of you or because of him, and no matter who it have had the initiative to divorce, him or you... in any case, you will receive compensation of 75 million pounds..."  
"75 million! " exclaimed the three girls this time, including Victoria.  
"Yes, 75 million pounds tax-free, since any tax burden would be on his account... and that not including the eventual maintenance allowance that Lord William would have to pay to his minor children, if any, in case of Divorce... that point would have to be negotiated separately, if that's the case," Robert said in the sufficiency tone that many lawyers use when talking to their clients.  
"My God, 75 million!... Why I only find losers in my life! " exclaimed Harriet as a lament.  
"That's what my previous two wives said," said Robert with innocent sincerity, causing Nancy and Harriet to see him a little astonished, while Victoria was absent, very shocked "but, besides, although Lord William will cover all living expenses of couple, and Victoria's personal expenses, including clothing and so on, he would still pay Victoria a sum of £ 10,000 a month for the duration of the marriage."  
"And he's going to pay her a salary of 10,000 pounds a month just for being his wife!... I would not mind that he was 80 and horrible! And the worst of it is that he's hot as hell!" Cried Harriet, as if she were about to cry out of frustration.  
"Behave, Harriet! " Nancy snapped, slapping her arm.  
Robert laughed a little, but then he turned serious again when he saw Victoria's serious, somber expression.  
"Well, besides you have to keep in mind that you would become Lady Maybourne with the wedding, and that if you both would have children... I imagine you young ladies know what happened to Lord William's son, since you have investigated..." Robert said, the girls nodded "well, your children would be the heirs to the UK's fifth largest fortune. And of course, I have no doubt that he would fulfill all the promises he made regarding your sister and your mother... I am convinced that they will be given custody of the little girl to you both of them once both are married..."  
Robert stopped because he saw that Victoria had a bad face, that paled and sweated, and that she made gestures as if something hurt her...  
"Miss Walker, are you all right?" Robert asked worriedly.  
"Vicky, honey, what's the matter? " Nancy asked anguished as she stroked her hair.  
"I feel bad... I can not breathe! " Victoria answered with difficult breathing.  
"Vicky, do not scare me! " cried Harriet, standing up nervously.  
"Quiet young ladies, I think her have a panic crisis. It has happened to me often," Robert said, standing up and taking a bag from which he took out a sandwich, and then handed it to Harriet. "Have her breathe in the bag, so it will be taken away it from her... I have a pill here and I'm looking for water."  
After a few minutes, Victoria regained her composure and they spoke to her in a relaxed manner.  
"Thank you, Mr. Robert... will you be willing to accompany me and represent me in the negotiation for marriage? " Victoria said in a serious and professional tone.  
"Of course," replied Robert helpfully.  
"Have you decided to get married, Vicky? " asked Harriet.  
"I need to attend that meeting, with my lawyer and go back and talk to him face-to-face to make my final decision," Victoria said.  
"There's nothing more to talk about... and do not worry, as Harriet can tell you my fees are very reasonable," Robert said, starting to fill his draft fee with a pen.  
"William told me he would pay my lawyer's fee," Victoria said.  
"Seriously? " Robert replied, and then discarded the original receipt to fill in another where he raised the amount of his fees to five times the original amount. "Then, it's time to work, Miss Walker."  
Victoria contacted William and arranged a meeting to discuss marriage with their respective lawyers. The day and hour scheduled Victoria in the company of Nancy and Harriet arrived at the Maybourne Tower, where Robert was to meet with them (after leaving a court hearing in the case of another client).  
"Damn it, Harriet!... I told you not to dress like a slut!... We're not going to a bachelorette party in Benidorm! " Nancy said to Harriet, looking critically at the short, low-cut dress, perhaps too provocative, of her friend.  
"If I do not listen to my mother, you think I'm going to do it with you!... If I listen to my mother I would still be a virgin! " replied Harriet.  
"And at what age you stopped being it... at ten!" Nancy answered sarcastically.  
"I'd rather be a slut than a frigid one like you! " cried Harriet angrily.  
"Enough!... Please girls, already I'm nervous enough!" Victoria rebuked them.  
"You're right, Victoria... I'm sorry," said Nancy ashamed.  
"Forgive me, Vicky," Harriet apologized.  
The girls approached the reception desk. Victoria was dressed in a vaporous, blue dress that reached a little below her knees, and she wore high-heeled sandals. She wore a gold chain with a crucifix on her neck and matching earrings, and a bracelet from her mother. Dressed in the most elegant way possible for her resources, but still looked simple and looked like a teenager girl who tried to look older. Nancy was dressed in a serious and austere manner, with a vaporous dress longer than Victoria's and dark green.  
"Good morning, I'm Victoria Walker and I have a date," Victoria told one of the reception staff.  
The female clerk called and then told Victoria that someone would come and get them. While they waited Robert arrived sweating and apologized for the minutes of delay. Then a more or less young man appeared.  
"Good Morning! I am Ernest Lambert, and I work for Lord William. Miss Victoria Walker?" said the young man who wore a mustache.  
"It's me, it's a pleasure... My lawyer Robert Pearson, and my friends..." Victoria made the introductions, and when it was Harriet's turn she stared at Ernest intensely and held his hand a little more than due, so Nancy gave her a soft kick at the ankle to let him go, although he just smiled.  
Ernest accompanied the group to one of the upper floors and arranged them in a waiting room, where there were tea, soft drinks and cookies.  
"He'll soon be in the conference room, when Lord William finishes a videoconference with Hong Kong. I hope everything is to your liking... if I can help you all with something else, is there anything else you want ladies and gentleman?" asked Ernest very kindly.  
"To you!" Harriet said with a mischievous smile, and both Victoria and Nancy elbowed and annoyed, but Ernest just laughed and winked at the girl.  
Ernest said good-bye, and he leaving. A pair of minutes later Robert excused himself with the girls and went to the bathroom. Victoria was tense, and Nancy and Harriet talked to her trying to relax her. And suddenly it was Nancy who tensed and gently touched Victoria in the arm to get her attention, and point to something that was behind Victoria.  
Victoria turned and saw William standing in a hallway, staring at her. Victoria's heart quickened, a shiver ran through her body and she felt weakness in her legs. For a moment she feared a new panic attack or even fainting. He smiled at her, with a kind, reassuring smile. William was dressed in an elegant and impeccable Hugo Boss costume, dark blue, and a striped tie matching the suit. He looked terribly handsome, as her friends would later say, like a male model in a fashion show in Paris, Milan or London itself. When he began to walk towards her in a safe and elegant way, exuding manhood with every step (like a very hot stallion, in Harriet's words), Victoria felt that her heart was going to come out of her mouth and she had to gather her hands, so he would not notice her hands shaking. But how to hide the nerves that were surely reflected in the gesture of her face?  
"Hello Victoria, how are you?" William said with a smile and she thought the time had frozen, and that there was nobody else in that room, only the two of them...


	4. Disturbing Facts.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria must make a final decision on William's proposal, and William will face a ghost that will revive his disturbing past.

"Well, I'm fine ... and how are you, Lord ... William?" Victoria answered trying to sound serene, but her voice a little broken by the nerves.  
"I'm fine," William said seemingly calmly, but there was some tension in him.  
They both looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then both looked away, a little embarrassed.  
"You did not introduce me to these lovely young ladies," William said, trying to break the awkward silence.  
Victoria introduced Nancy and Harriet, feeling a little relieved to divert attention to them. Nancy and Harriet greeted William with some timidity (even the usually indiscreet Harriet who seemed a bit intimidated by William's presence).  
"Your friends are very beautiful, just like you," said Lord Melbourne charmingly, making Victoria blush.  
"Thank you! " exclaimed Nancy and Harriet almost like a choir.  
At that moment Robert approached them, seeing William as if he were seeing the Queen of England herself in person and up close, for the first time in his life.  
"William ... this is Mr. Robert Pearson, my lawyer," Victoria said courteously.  
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Pearson," William said kindly as he shook his hand.   
"The pleasure is mine, Lord William Maybourne ... a true honor," Robert replied with a certain emotion, little concealed.  
"Please, join me in the boardroom," William told them.  
William guided the group to the boardroom and, as they crossed the threshold of the door, Ephraim, William's lawyer, met them.  
"Victoria ... this is Ephraim Levin, my best friend and my lawyer, the head of the Maybourne Corporation legal team," William said pleasantly.  
"It's a pleasure, Mr. Levin," Victoria said as she shook Ephraim's hand.  
"The pleasure is mine, Miss Walker. You can call me Ephraim," Ephraim replied gently as he watched Victoria with much curiosity, trying to figure out what was in her that had led his friend William to act so irrationally.  
"Thank you, you can call me Victoria," Victoria said with a shy smile.  
William made the corresponding presentations between Ephraim and the rest of the group. Ephraim was cordial to everyone, but when he saw Robert, he made a gesture of skepticism at the sight of her second-rate lawyer. Ephraim then introduced four lawyers from his team who were accompanying him at the meeting, two women and two men, and Robert seemed intimidated to see five lawyers in elegant suits and expressions of corporate legal predators.  
"Well, Ephraim ... I'll leave you the word because it's your field," William said after they all sat around the huge boardroom table.   
"Thank you William ... well, the documents William gave Victoria were drafted by the legal team that I run, and I think them contain extremely favorable conditions for Victoria, should the marriage be celebrated ... I imagine Mr. Pearson will agree with me in which the conditions are unbeatable for his client, and I am willing to answer any questions or doubts," said Ephraim in a professional manner.   
"Yes... them are certainly unbeatable conditions... as far as doubts are concerned, there are only a few points I would like to make clear," Robert replied, fumbling in his briefcase until he found the notes he had made while Ephraim watched him with increasing skepticism.  
Then came the few minutes when Robert asked questions about the legal points of the settlement and Ephraim's assistants responded by using the complicated jargon of corporate lawyers, while Ephraim himself looked bored and a bit exasperated by Robert's apparent clumsiness. Meanwhile, William and Victoria kept seeing each other, William with a kind and amused expression, and Victoria with a serious and curious expression, as if she wanted to read the intentions of William in his face and in his eyes ... to read his soul.  
Victoria took advantage of a pause in the dialogue between the lawyers, to speak.  
"Excuse me ... I'd like to talk to you alone, Lord ... William," Victoria said, her voice steady and serene.  
"Of course, Victoria ... we can go to a smaller room next door, while our lawyers are still talking. And your friends can stay here or in the waiting room where they have drinks and a snack at their disposal," William replied pleasantly.   
Victoria's friends chose to go to the waiting room, where they were guided by Ernest, to Harriet's rejoicing and Nancy's shame. William led Victoria to a small room attached and opened the door inviting her to enter, and after Victoria entered, he entered behind her and closed the door. William invited her to sit at the head of a table rather smaller than the one in the boardroom, and he sat across from her. Victoria looked him in the eye, and she could not help feeling embarrassed by the look in his green eyes, but struggled to speak with seriousness and determination.  
"Why do you do this?... Why do you want to marry me? Obviously you're not in love with me ... You could not," said Victoria trying not to sound aggressive or hard, but earnestly in her voice.   
"Victoria, I know this is not normal ... which is obviously crazy ... But even if you can not believe me, I swear I'm not crazy, my mental health is quite acceptable ..." said William with a certain irony but with a sad smile, "I understand that you are nervous or frightened, and that you distrust me and my intentions, I would in your place also. And obviously I can not be in love with you and not because I could not fall in love with you, because any intelligent and tasteful man would be proud to love a woman like you ..." he added sincerely and seeing her intensely, that Victoria blushed and felt her skin prick up, "but because we have known each other for a very short time. But life has taught me that sometimes love is not the best reason to marry," by saying this, William could not hide the moisture in his eyes and his face covered with a gesture of sadness, which made Victoria see him moved her, remembering what she read in the article on the internet, "At this moment it costs me a lot, explaining to you my reasons, but what I can do is to swear that my intentions are honest and that I have no bad intentions ... I just want to give you and your sister the opportunity to have a home and a stable family situation. I want to help you, and I want to get a chance to get to know you better, and maybe in the process we can both find some ... comfort and joy," he finished.  
Victoria studied him carefully, intrigued.  
"Do you understand that these reasons still seem insufficient?" Victoria asked thoughtfully.   
"I know, but that's all I can say for now ... I hope that if you decide to accept my proposal, and as long as we know each other, I can open myself to you and you know me better, and hopefully you will get to understand me," William answered in an almost charming, very kind manner.  
"William ... I do not want to sound rude, ungrateful or arrogant, I really am not like that ... I am a young and inexperienced girl, and I am poor, but I have dignity ... I am willing to do anything for my family, but I need to leave one thing clear ... although I would accept your proposal, I am not a merchandise, I am not for sale ... I can be your wife if you want, for whatever reason, but I am not nor will I be an object of your property," said Victoria with the voice a little broken by emotion.  
"I get it, Victoria. I would never aspire to buy a human being, and of course I could never see you as an object that can be bought with money ... And you're honored to say that, I respect you more for it, "William said sincerely.  
"There is one more thing, William ... I ... I could not accept that you force me to have sex, if I do not want it," Victoria said in a broken voice and trembling a little but with a serious face.  
William made a serious gesture on his face, then softened it and smiled wryly.   
"I do not know if you know, Victoria, but in this country as in most of the world, that a man compels his wife to have sex against her will, it's a crime equal to rape ... A man can go to jail for that, but even if I were not, I would never rape a woman or pressure her to have sex with me against her will, and I would be offended if someone thought I would be able to do something like that," William replied with serenity and without losing the sarcastic smile.  
"Excuse me, if I offended you, William. I just ... " Victoria said with a sincere apology.  
"Victoria, I do not pretend to have a sex slave ... and certainly do not pretend you to do anything you do not want. If we marry and you never want that marriage to include sexual life, it will be so, even if it lasts a few years ... Of course in that case, I will have to seek satisfaction for my needs outside marriage," said William indifferently.  
Victoria was surprised to hear him, and without knowing why she felt a certain disgust, as if that was something that annoyed her more than usual in her situation ...  
"And if I needed to find that satisfaction, could I? " Victoria asked sarcastically and a little defiantly, betraying her displeasure.   
"You could do it, I could not prevent it ... but in that case if you did before we were five years of marriage and I would discovered it and could prove it, you would not get not even one pound in the divorce," replied William a little mockingly, but speaking with sincerity .  
"Once again the subject of money as a conditioner, if I am faithful in marriage is because I really keep my promises and I'm not one ..." Victoria replied.  
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's not argue about it ... let's talk about something useful. I have a proposal for you, an offer for your friends," said William kindly.  
"For my friends! " Victoria exclaimed in surprise.  
"Yes ... Victoria, if we are married and you come to live in my house, your sister will live with us and your mother will also live in our house when she is strong enough to leave the hospital ... That's why I thought that to take care of your sister and to keep you company, so that you do not feel strange at first and so that you are accompanied, I could offer employment to your friends for working as nannies and assistants of yours for what you need ... I am willing to pay a good salary to them, much better than the salary that they receives in their current jobs," William said quietly and pleasantly.   
"Are you willing to hire my friends to keep me company and take care of my sister? " Victoria asked, a little astonished.  
"Yes ... realistically, it will still be some time before you trust me. So it is normal that you feel insecure and perhaps scared living in my house, with your sister as the only person in the house you trust ... but if your friends are with you, if there is always at least one of them in the house, I think you will feel safer and more comfortable. It is only right that you have your own staff of confidence and if you have to hire a pair of nannies, better be your friends, people who are like sisters for you. Of course, if you do agree," William replied convincingly.  
Victoria stared at him in surprise and enchanted her without being able to avoid feeling excited her because he cared so much about her comfort and safety.  
"Well, of course I like the idea ... I'll have to propose to them, though I think they'll agree," Victoria replied timidly.   
"Very well ... I also wanted to propose something else. My house is very large, and is built on a large property ... and beside it I have another house a little smaller but almost as comfortable, for the guests. If you agree to get married, I would like your sister and you to go live immediately to that house, with your friends taking turns sleeping with you. Not only would it be practical for you to get used to what will be your residence, but also because it can strengthen our position in the meeting with the officials of Safeguard that we will have to attend in a few days on the matter of custody of your sister," said William.  
"Do you want me to move with you now?" Victoria asked a little nervously.  
"Well, not exactly with me," William replied with a smile and showing some embarrassment or shyness. "As I said, the guest house is a little smaller than the big house, but it's still very spacious ... and although them're in the same property, facing each other, them are two separate houses. I guarantee that you will have absolute privacy ... but your sister and you would be very comfortable, and what is more important, if social workers come to carry out an inspection, we can give the image of a family nucleus already structured and stable."   
"I mean ... we live as a domestic partnership before we get married," Victoria said, blushing a little.  
"Exactly," William said, amused and a little embarrassed. "As I told you, your friends can go with you and start working right now ... I can double their salary."  
"You do not know how much they earn," Victoria said a little disconcertedly.  
"It does not matter," replied William, not in vanity but rather sincere and a little anxious, "And tomorrow we can begin to manage your mother's transfer to the private center of which I spoke to you, which has novel or experimental techniques."  
Victoria studied him again, trying to decipher the strange man, wondering to herself where the trap was ... but realized that she had no options or excuses to refuse and inside her head she decided to leave everything in the hands of God or the fate.  
"William ... honestly you are the strangest man I have ever met ... I accept to marry you," Victoria said almost solemnly and a little excitedly.   
"Thank you, it is an honor for me ... And I hope that in spite of this strange beginning, this wedding will be beneficial for both of us, one way or another ... In any case, I am a lucky man to marry you," William said with voice deep and intense, as he took her hand and kissed her back, surprising her and making her blush and even tremble a little when she felt the touch of his lips with her skin.  
Then everything happened very quickly ... both came out and announced their decision, receiving the congratulations of the lawyers (Ephraim's face reflected mixed feelings, but with concern predominating over others). Robert was happy, and more so after he received a check for services rendered to Victoria. Then Victoria went to the waiting room and communicated the decision to her friends, who gave her moral support, and then reacted with surprise to the job offer.  
"But Vicky, it is firm that job offer? You know I need to work," Nancy said carefully.  
"He assured me ... and he said he was willing to pay you twice their present salary," Victoria said.  
"The double!" Harriet exclaimed in astonishment, making Victoria smile amused.  
"Count on me," Nancy said at once.   
"And with me! ... Vicky, I have a tantric sex book that I can lend you use with Lord William, and that's how you hook him," Harriet said, as if she meant it.  
"Shut up!" cried Victoria and Nancy, and then the three of them laughed.  
"You're getting married!" Nancy said to Victoria, as if she had just discovered it, in an excited voice.  
"I am going to marry!" Victoria replied, and then the three girls hugged each other in tears.  
The next day, in the morning, William arrived at HM Prison Bronzefield ... entered jail and was escorted through all the security checks by a senior official. William's face reflected a lot of tension and disturbance as he walked down the corridors to access the department where the most dangerous prisoners were housed. ...   
William was taken to a prison room, where the prisoners were visited of their relatives. There was a glass partition separating the prisoners from the visitors, but for this occasion the only visitor was William, who waited impatiently and nervously. He walked along the long room to a corner, when he heard the person he was waiting for. He did not want to turn around to see her until he learned that the prison guards (two stout women) placed the person in her seat in front of the screen and then withdrew from the section of the room intended for the prisoners ...  
It was a woman who looked about 40 years old, tall (barely a little shorter than William), with white skin and dark hair that was long to the shoulders. She was a beautiful woman, with a face of beautiful and elegant features, and fleshy lips. She had blue eyes. Over her simple clothes she could be seen to have large breasts and the silhouette of a beautiful body. Despite her natural beauty, there was something disturbing about that woman. In the hard gesture of her face there was a tormented soul, and she had the look of a person who suffers, and something else, much darker and indefinable ...  
"What do I do here! ... I do not get visitors ... who's there?" the woman asked angrily and nervously.   
William's hands trembled, and he had to put them together to try to control the tremor. His face was pale and had a gesture that revealed contradictory emotions ... anger, pain, hatred, and fear. He had to grit his teeth, take a breath and close his eyes, to try to control his emotions and face the old ghost, the devil ...  
He turned and walked to the chair in front of the woman's place, separated by the screen... When she saw him, she opened her eyes and her expression expressed fear and surprise, and she stood up startled ...  
"William!" exclaimed the woman, almost in a shout.  
"Caroline ... it's been a long time," William said with hatred, contempt, and pain in his voice and his gaze.  
They both looked into each other's eyes, through the glass, Caroline with a look of astonishment and fear, and William with a look of anger and hatred. He sat down and motioned for her to sit across from him, both separated by the bulkhead.  
"I suppose you did not think you would see me again in life, would you, Caroline?" William said in a voice of barely controlled anger and deep scorn.  
"What are you doing here!" cried Caroline in a voice broken by fear and emotional shock.   
"I guess you did not think much of me in all this time ... and I'm probably the last person you wanted to see in front of you ... do you sleep well at night, Caroline?" said William with a sarcastic and cynical touch in his voice, but with pain in the background.  
"I do not want to see you! ... I want to go back to my cell!" cried Caroline, and went to her feet.  
"You will not leave without hearing me, damn bitch! ... At least that, you owe me!" cried William, with a fist punch in the table-like piece of furniture that was attached to the middle of the screen, while his face was distorted in a formidable gesture of murderous fury.  
Caroline stared at him with wide eyes and a look of fear and anguish on her face ... she sat down again.  
"Don't worry, my visit will be very brief ..." said William recovering apparently the calm "... anyway I do not want to be long in front of you ... I just came to share with you a happy news."  
"Happy news? " Caroline asked in bewilderment.  
"Yes ... I have the pleasure of informing you that I am getting married," replied William indifferently.   
Caroline opened her mouth and looked very surprised ... but after a moment her face distorted into a mockery and began to laugh in an unpleasant way, surprising William a little.  
"You have come here to tell me a lie to torment me!" cried Caroline with a laugh.  
"What makes you think it's a lie?" William asked coldly.  
"You can not be happy again! Not after what happened," Caroline replied, and as she uttered the last words she stopped laughing, her expression turned somber and her gaze turned sinister.  
William paled, his body trembling with a shiver, and his eyes grew wet ... but he gathered strength and calm.  
"You're right, Caroline ... you took away a very important part of my life, and with that you ensured that my happiness can never be full again, for the rest of my life ... But that does not mean, that I can not find something of peace and happiness, that I can not rebuild my life ... And I have found the ideal person to do it ..."  
Caroline saw him with disbelief and serious face.   
"She's young, very young ... she's actually young enough to be my daughter or even your daughter, although she was lucky not to have been born from the belly of a bitch like you ..." William said with a wry smile, hard gesture on the face, "She is very beautiful, with a natural and childlike beauty, but what no does not stop being very hot ... is not a model as you were, does not have a sculptural and voluptuous body, in fact her is thin and of low stature, but her sensuality is wilder and irresistible to me than yours ... She is intelligent and brave, she is hardworking and honest, she is noble and generous, the things you could never be in life ... She is strong and independent, and although she comes from a poor family, she is a proud woman, but not arrogant like you ... She loves her family, and would do anything for it, any sacrifice ... while you ... well, we know what you would do with your family ..."  
Caroline shuddered to see the way William saw her when he uttered those words, almost certain that if there was no a screen between both, he would have killed her at that moment ...   
"But what I like most about her is that she is pure and innocent ... her soul is not yet polluted by the wickedness of the world. She is innocent in a special way, because she is not stupid and knows how cruel this life can be ... but she is pure because her feelings are guided by generosity and love ... And that beautiful and extraordinary young woman is mine ... yesterday she agreed to marry me ... She accepted to marry and I know that her intentions are not dark or perverse, as I would have suspected in any other woman after the damage you did to me ... and I know them are not, because this time I was the one who played dirty, it was me the one who manipulated it or deceived her to some extent, because I needed it to be mine ... Do you know why I needed it?"  
Caroline was looking at him now, with an uneasiness, as the woman's breathing quickened.   
"Because I have understood that my best revenge against you, is to make you see me happy, that you see that you failed and you could not destroy my life. Because I'm going to make that girl fall in love with me, I'm going to make her love me, and although it's almost impossible for me to love a woman after what you did to me, I'll make an effort to get it or at least to be the best husband for her ... I'm going to build a new family with her, I'll fill her with children, and I'll make her take your place in every way, live where she was your house, sleep where she was your bed, and be under my body as you were ... And we will raise our children together, she will hold in her arms our children, and I will feel that feeling that you took to me ... And every day that passes, you will know that I'm sleeping with her, that I'm in bed making love to her, while you spend the rest of your life in this dirty hole ... That will be my revenge, that you know that I have found peace and happiness, while you live in hell ... so I will do justice to my son," concluded William with an intense anger  
"You can not do it! ... I will not allow it, son of a bitch! " Caroline shouted, slamming her fist into the wall with uncontainable fury.   
"And how do you intend to avoid it, my dear? " William mocked her with contempt.  
"Damn you, William!" cried Caroline wrathfully, but then her face covered itself with a twisted and perverse gesture of wickedness. "Do you know that he called you? ... Do you know that he begged you to come and save him?"  
William's face became like that of a person facing the greatest fear and the greatest pain in the world, pale and emaciated, while his whole body trembled.  
"Shut up!" William said in a broken voice.  
"You must have heard him, William ... he cried and shouted at you ... Papa ... Papa!" said Caroline in an evil and mocking manner.  
"Shut the fuck up!" shouted William, getting to his feet.  
"As he was writhes and struggles, as he clings to life, he screams calling his father ... calling you, William. Calling you to come to save him, but you did not come, you could not save him ... until his last breath, when life died in his eyes," said Caroline and laughed.  
William took the chair and threw it against the reinforced glass of the screen, which did not break but was covered it with 'thunderbolts', damaged it ... William threw himself against the glass and punched it while he screamed hysterically.  
"I'm going to kill you, bitch! ... I'm going to kill you!" shouted William.  
Caroline had risen to her feet and backed up a few steps, but she laughed hysterically.   
"You'll never be happy, William! ... Never! " Caroline yelled as she laughed hysterically, and William kept punching the screen in a futile effort.  
Two male guards entered the section where William stood and they held him by the arms as he twisted. There was also an official dressed in a suit and tie.  
"Please, Lord Maybourne! ... Please, you control yourself! " said the official in suit and tie.  
Meanwhile the female guards, the two sturdy women, entered the section where Caroline was and they held her by the arms, as she struggled with them.  
"Let me go whores! ... Let me go! I will never let you be happy, William! Never!" Caroline shouted as they pulled her out of the room.   
While the terrible scene ended in prison, far away, in her apartment, Victoria walked barefoot and in clothes to go by house from the kitchen to the table, and sat down with a glass of orange juice in her hand. She searched on her mobile phone, on the internet, and re-read the headline of the article she read with her friends:  
"Lord Maybourne's wife, Lady Caroline, arrested for the brutal murder of the couple's son."  
Victoria closed her eyes and sighed.


	5. An Anguished Sister.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the incident in the prison, William will have to face the consequences of his behavior, while he must defend his decision to marry Victoria in the face of strong pressure. Meanwhile, Victoria must begin to justify her decision in front of her own family and will not have it easy.

William was leaning against the desk in his home library, with a glass of whiskey in his hand, while Ephraim stood at his side. William was dressed in pants and a long-sleeved shirt, now with sleeves rolled up and top buttons unbuttoned revealing part of his chest, and although the posture of his body seemed relaxed, his face had a serious gesture. Ephraim dressing as if he had just left the office, and his face was also tense. Suddenly the door to the library opened and a woman entered ...  
The woman was tall, just a little less tall than William. She was white-skinned and had dark hair, a little frizzy, and it was short. She was dressed in an elegant, executive-style suit (like a businesswoman) with a knee-length skirt and a jacket, a dark-colored suit. She wore dark pantyhose and high-heeled shoes. The suit allowed intuiting a beautiful body, more or less voluptuous and sculptural, and the jacket and blouse allowed to know that she had large breasts. The woman's face was also beautiful, and her green eyes were particularly beautiful. Her age should be at least close to 40 years of age, and for a good observer it was evident that she was William's family ...  
"Damned stupid! " exclaimed the furious woman while her face deformed with a fierce gesture of anger, "I want to slap you!"   
"Hi, Emily, I'm glad to see you, too," William replied with irony and a certain resignation, as he took another drink from his glass of whiskey.  
"How dare you do such stupidity!" Emily continued as she stopped when she got in front of William, standing at a short distance, "What the hell happened to your mind to go see that blasted monster! " Emily added anxiously.  
"I think I should leave them alone," Ephraim said cautious and eager to escape the argument between William and his sister.  
"You stay! ... If you are of the family you are also to suffer my anger. And I also have things to tell you," Emily replied with a murderous look.  
Ephraim was a little intimidated, for he knew the character of the woman who was like a sister to him.  
"Emily, please, do not lose your composure," William said seriously and a little sad.  
"Do not lose your composure! ... You tell me after destroying a visiting room in a prison visiting that blasted monster! " exclaimed Emily.  
William walked away from her, walking to the other side of the library, with the glass in his hand, and turned around to see her.  
"How did you find out so fast? " William asked.   
"Forget that I also have my sources in the government, including the Ministry of Justice? And so I learned how you used our contacts in Ministry to make that absurd visit and how you armed that disastrous scandal in the prison ... And how Ephraim has begged our friends in the government so that this shameful incident remains secret and does not arrive In the ears of the tabloids ... Why did you do it, William? " Emily said lowering her voice and trying to calm down.  
"I had to do it, Emily," William replied, lowering his eyes, somewhat embarrassed.  
"I could tell you about the damage this could do to your image and to the image of our corporation, when this is known, which I fear will be inevitable even if our contacts in the government try to avoid it ... But that is not what worries me the most, What anguishes me the most is the damage that William does to you ... Why are you doing this to yourself, William? ... Why are you bringing that monster back to your life ... to our lives! " exclaimed Emily worried about him and with pain, unable to prevent a couple of tears from spilling from her eyes.  
"Please, Emily! I know no one can understand, but it was something I had to do ... but already it happened, I saw the Devil in the face, and I told her what I had to say to her ... now it's over," said William trying to reassure her, but with certain despair.   
"Did you consult with your therapist? " Emily asked.  
"Emily, I already told you I'm not going back ... I have not been to his consultation for two months," William replied angrily.  
"That's why you did that madness! William, you must go back to therapy, you're not well yet, you need ..." Emily said compassionately.  
"Enough, Emily! ... I'm not crazy! What I did was turn the page, close a cycle ... something therapeutic, if you prefer to see it that way, since you like psychology so much. But I guarantee that from now on I will be a normal person and I will not do more crazy things like that," said William impatiently.  
"With what, you will not do more crazy things ... And how would you call pretending to marry you an eighteen-year-old girl of lower class! " exclaimed Emily angry again and accusatory tone.  
William looked at Ephraim with an accusatory look, and Ephraim shook his head.  
"No, it was not Ephraim who told me, dear brother ... Remember that I am the second most important executive of the corporation after you, and nothing that happens in the company remains hidden from me. Do you think I was not going to find out about the meeting with that girl, her friends and her colorful lawyer? " Emily replied with irony and some mockery, but also angry.   
"No, I am aware of that my dear little sister ... And anyway I did not intend to hide it, after all sooner rather than later you will have to meet your new sister-in-law and welcome the family," answered William sarcastic and cynical, a bit mocking .  
"What funny! ... You're not going to marry that girl! " exclaimed Emily also with sarcasm and cynicism, but with a hard look.  
"Oh, yes, I'm going to do it! " William replied with determination and defiant look.  
"No, you will not do it! ... I will not allow it ... over my dead body! " Emily answered furiously.  
"Well, get used to the morgue! " William replied raising his voice and getting angry.  
"Oh, Jesus! " exclaimed Ephraim looking down and shaking his head, expecting a terrible argument between brothers.  
In the next few minutes William and Emily exchanged angry cries, venting their rage, gesticulating with their hands, while Ephraim looked helplessly and uncomfortably at the discussion.  
"You do not know anything about that girl! ... You picked her up from the street and you do not know who she is, where she comes from and what she is capable of! " Emily cried desperate and furious.  
"I did not pick her up from the street because she is not a stray dog and neither is she a prostitute! ... And I thank you for talking about her with respect! " William replied shouting.  
"And since you know what she is! ... You do not really know her, you do not know what she has done in her past, you do not know with what kind of people she has related to ... she could being many things and could have done embarrassing things," Emily said.   
"I know everything I need to know about her ... I know she does not use drugs or drink alcohol, and she does not even smoke. I know she is not promiscuous, that she has had only one boyfriend and that she almost certainly does not have an active sex life ... I know she has no criminal record, and that she only works and takes care of her sister and mother. And I know all that because I ordered the detectives from our security team to investigate her thoroughly," William replied.  
"You ordered, her to be investigated! ... That makes you look like a stalker! It seems you were a pervert who was harassing that girl ... if it was my daughter I would like to see her away from you," Emily replied bewildered.  
"Then I suppose that I must thank that her is not your daughter, besides that it would be strange considering that of being your daughter it would be my niece," he answered mockingly.  
"Oh my God, William! ... She's a damn waitress and you're one of the richest men in the country and the world! ... It's crazy! " exclaimed Emily in anguish.  
"Fortunately, we do not live in such a class-conscious era anymore, Emily ... if the Royalty can marry commoners, I can marry a coffee shop waitress," said William with a mocking smile.  
"William, even if you are the CEO of the company, you, like me, we must answer in front a Board of directors and Annual general meeting ... what will they think of you? They'll think you've lost your mind and can not run the corporation! " Emily said worriedly.   
"I do not think that they will dismiss me, taking into account the excellent profit of the last income statement. Besides, I think I have enough resources to face any uprising," William replied calmly.  
"You are his lawyer and you are supposed to be his best friend ... how could you be part of this! " Emily said desperately addressing Ephraim.  
"What can I do? ... Emily, you know that when your brother decides to do something, no one can prevent it, it is useless to oppose," Ephraim answered a little ruefully.  
"Ephraim is right. Emily, nothing will stop me from marrying Victoria. You can refuse to know her, to be her friend, you can refuse to attend the wedding and never accept marriage ... but I will continue with you or without you," said William firm and determined, but more serene.  
"You do not understand, William! I only care about you ... because I want you to be happy, I want you to be the man you once were ... I miss my brother! I miss that good, noble and cheerful brother who was always the light of our lives ... I miss my dear William, because I do not want you to continue living in the dark, because I do not want you to keep moving away from us ... I miss him too, William … every day! But you are here and I do not want you to continue hurting yourself, I do not want they cause you more pain, because you've already suffered a lot," Emily said in a voice broken by emotion and broke down crying.   
William had to make an effort to contain the tears, and approached his sister and hugged her, while Ephraim silently withdrew from the library to give them privacy. William kissed his sister on the forehead and cupping her face between his big hands made her see him in the eyes.  
"Emily, I swear I would not do this if I thought something horrible could come out of this for me or for anyone ... I know you can not understand it now, because it really is crazy ... But probably I get married with that girl be the last hope for me ... to at least continue living, to have a reason to live, regardless of whether it is a good or bad reason, if it is a noble or selfish reason, whether it is with one purpose or another, simply without this I do not think it can continue ... when you get used to living in the dark too long, it's impossible to get out of it ... you can take the man out of the darkness, but you can't take the darkness out of the man. I do not aspire to remove the darkness from me, I just want to find a way to do justice to my son, to do something for him, and find a reason to get up every morning, a force that forces me to keep going ... I can not promise you that I will be the happy and good brother that you long for, but at least I can promise you which you will still have a brother, and that I will not meet again my boy soon ... but for that I need that girl. She will be my new beginning, and I need you to support me," said William touched and tenderly.   
"Then ... there is no remedy? " Emily asked trying to calm down and stop crying.  
"Not ... but see the positive side ... maybe I can give you nephews," answered William smiling in a mocking and charming way.  
"You? ... You think you can get an 18-year-old girl pregnant! " exclaimed Emily teasingly, mocking her brother, playing the game.  
"Well, on a good night, with an aphrodisiac meal and maybe some blue pill, I think it's quite likely ... maybe I should go to that guy you dated with, who was an instructor in tantric sex, maybe with a couple of classes can work the miracle," answered William mockingly and both laughed.   
"Don't tell him about the guy of tantric sex to my husband! ..." Emily said causing William to raise an eyebrow, "You know how you are the men of complexes! ... It still seems like a damn madness, but you do not leave me another option to resign me and support you ... but not for nothing ... As a condition to support you I want you to return to therapy," added Emily.  
"Oh no, Emily! " exclaimed William disgusted and annoyed.  
"I will not to give in! I ask you for something very small compared to the enormity of the stupidity that you ask me to support," Emily said firmly.  
"It's okay ... I'll do it for your peace of mind! " William replied with a sigh of resignation.  
While in William's mansion that scene took place between him and his sister, far away, in Victoria's small and poor apartment and her family, she was sitting at the table with her friends Harriet and Nancy, and her little sister Kate. .  
"Kate, there's something important that I have to communicate you ..." Victoria said nervously speaking with the girl, "I guess you have not forgotten William ... Lord William."   
"Of course not! ... He is very cool! Have you seen him again? " Kate replied enthusiastically and cheerfully.  
"Yes, certainly ... but there is something very important in relation to him that you should know ... Kate, I'm going to marry William," said Victoria serious and nervous.  
The little girl saw her sister with her eyes open and almost immediately laughed.  
"You must be joking, Vicky! ... I'm not stupid! " Kate exclaimed laughing.  
"I'm saying it very seriously, Kate. It's no joke ... I swear to dad, and you know that we do not swear in vain for him," Victoria replied seriously and her voice a bit broken with emotion.  
Kate saw her sister and then her sister's friends ... the girl had a look of surprise on her face, but then she smiled.  
"That's cool, Vicky! ... I like William very much! " Kate exclaimed cheerfully.  
"Are you really happy that Victoria marries William? " Nancy asked affectionately.  
"Sure! ... But why are you marrying him, Victoria? ... Are you pregnant with him? I'm going to have a nephew! " Kate asked happy and excited, but a little puzzled.  
"What! ... Of course not! I'm not pregnant," Victoria replied a bit scandalized while her friends laughed.  
"But you've slept with him, right? " Kate asked curiously.  
"No! ... I have not slept with him! " exclaimed Victoria embarrassed, blushing.  
"That's very good, Vicky! You do not have to give men 'sugar' until you have what you want from them," answered Kate as an adult woman who showed off her wisdom in life.  
"Kate! ... Where the hell have you heard that! ... Where did you get that vulgarity! " exclaimed Victoria, scandalized and angry.  
Victoria and Nancy turned to see Harriet almost automatically, with accusatory looks.  
"Do not see me! ... I know the rules, never talk about sex with the little girl," Harriet defended herself a little offended by the suspicions of her friends.  
"I heard it on a television series the other day, and there's a song that I like that says something similar," said Kate proud and smiling.  
"I have to watch better the crap you see on TV and you listen to on Spotify! " exclaimed Victoria angrily.   
"Kate ... the affectionate relationships of a woman with a man should be based on mutual respect and an intimate understanding of the needs and feelings of your partner. If you want to build a solid and satisfying relationship with a man, you must start by respecting yourself and demanding that same respect from your partner, and you should not see yourself as a sexual object, making a man value you solely for that," Nancy said like a mother giving lessons to her daughter.  
"I'm a little girl ... how the hell do you expect me to understand a single word of what you're saying! " exclaimed Kate exasperated.  
"Do not worry, Kate, I do not usually understand what she says," said Harriet mockingly.  
"That's because you have the same mental age as Kate or even less! " Nancy replied a little disgusted.  
Harriet stuck her tongue out at Nancy and Kate imitated her and both laughed in a childish way.  
"Girls, please ..." said Victoria still serious, "Kate, there is another thing you should know ... William has asked me we move to his home ... well, to a guest house that apparently is attached to his home, and I have accepted," she added.   
"We are going to move to a mansion! ... How cool! ... And now you are going to sleep with him? " Kate replied.  
"What an obsession! ... I'm not going to sleep with him before the wedding! Maybe not even after the wedding," Victoria answered exasperated.  
"You're not going to sleep with him! ... And still he's going to marry you! Is he stupid or gay? " Kate said surprised.  
"Enough, Kate! That's a matter between William and me, them're adult things, and it's none of your business if I sleep with William or not ... I just want you to be reasonable and collaborate with me," Victoria said impatiently.  
"Victoria is right, sweeheart ... Besides, William is only showing that he is a patient and sensitive man, that he respects his future wife and is understanding of his needs, and ..." Nancy said.  
"Oh, for God's sake! ... If you continue with that politically correct feminist discourse, I'm going to throw myself out the window! " Harriet exclaimed bored.  
Nancy saw her serious, while Kate laughed and Victoria smiled amused.  
"Vicky, does mom know you're getting married? " Kate asked anxiously.   
"Not yet, I'll tell her when I visit her this afternoon," Victoria replied, worried and nervous.  
"Mom is going to get angry! " Kate replied as if she felt sorry for her sister.  
"I know, Kate ... I know," Victoria answered.  
A few hours later Victoria was standing in front of the door of her mother's room in the hospital, gathering strength to enter. Victoria was dressed in a simple dress and modest sandals without heels. At last she sighed and went into the room, and saw how her mother was attended by a nurse, who was already finishing and saying goodbye. The nurse passed by Victoria's side and said goodbye to her with a friendly smile.  
"Hi mama! ... How do you feel today? " Victoria said as she approached the bed and gave a sweet kiss on the cheek to her mother.  
"A little better, child ... and how are you? " Victoria's mother replied.  
"Well, I'm fine, Mama," said Victoria.  
For someone who had lived in the 19th century in the Court of Queen Victoria, the mother of Victoria Walker would have a striking resemblance to Baroness Lehzen, the former governess and in practice the adoptive mother of Queen Victoria ...  
"And Kate? " Victoria's mother asked.   
"She is down with Harriet and Nancy, then she will go up ... but first I wanted to talk to you alone, Mama," Victoria said trying to sound calm, but unable to hide her tension.  
"What happens, Victoria? ... Something bad? " Victoria's mother asked in anguish.  
"No, quiet ... is not necessarily bad ... on the contrary, it could be the solution to most of our problems and a hope ... But, anyway I'm sure you will not like it, but I ask you to listen to me with patience and understanding, with an open mind," said Victoria like a little girl afraid to suffer a strong scolding from her mother.  
"You give me fear, Victoria! " exclaimed Victoria's mother, concerned, frowning.  
Mother and daughter prepared to start a very difficult conversation.


	6. I Knows of Darkness.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A difficult mother-daughter conversation, and an intense encounter between two souls who have known darkness up close, will reveal some truths.

"You are crazy, Victoria! ... You can not marry that damned insane!" exclaimed Louise, Victoria's mother, very distressed.  
"Please, lower your voice, Mama! ... And do not get upset please! It's not good for you," Victoria begged, worried, while sitting in a chair next to her mother's bed.  
Mother and daughter had been arguing for several minutes, when Victoria told her mother all the strange story of the billionaire who wanted to marry her, practically without knowing her. Victoria's mother reacted surprised, scandalized and very worried about her eldest daughter, and her anguish translated into anger.  
"Victoria, that ... that mentally ill, that depraved, just wants ...!" Louise exclaimed heatedly.  
"Mama, do not say that! You do not know him, you can not judge him without knowing him," Victoria replied trying to calm her mother down.  
"I do not need to know him! ... A rich man who uses his money to buy a girl who is so young as to be his daughter taking advantage of her poverty and the tragedy of her family! ... A pervert who wants you to become his sex slave!" Louise exclaimed, more and more altered.  
"Mama, do not say such horrible things! ... He does not want to make me his sex slave!" Victoria replied trying to sound convincing, but her mother was expressing the fears that she herself felt.  
"Victoria, you're not stupid! ... What other reason could a man so rich and powerful have to marry a girl like you?" Louise said desperately.  
"Mama, I've told you the guarantees he has given me. He wants me to feel ..." Victoria answered.  
"I already know it! Let Harriet and Nancy work for him and live with you ... Do you really think that's enough!" Louise said.  
"Mama, please, try to understand," Victoria replied.  
"Victoria, you're not in love with that man, you do not even know him ... Are you going to marry a man you do not love!" Louise asked anxiously.  
"Mama ... you know that I ... I do not have faith in love," Victoria answered looking away so that her mother did not see the tears that threatened sprout from of her eyes.  
Tears ran down the cheeks of Victoria's mother and her face covered with pain, feeling compassion for her daughter's pain. She placed her hand on Victoria's hands that rested on her lap.  
"Victoria, I know you do not like talking about that terrible experience you had ... but remember what we talked about in the past and what your therapist told you. You are very young, your life is just beginning, and what that son of a bitch did to you must not condition your life and your future ... You are a very beautiful and sweet girl, a good person, you have many qualities and some day you will surely find a man that loves you and deserves your love ... And with him you can start a beautiful story, a happy life together," said Louise moved.  
"Like Papa and you!" Victoria replied without looking at her mother, but unable to hide her crying.  
Louise shuddered and had to make an effort to calm down and not cry inconsolably.  
"Your father and me were very happy together for a long time ... I loved him and I'm sure he loved me. But then the darkness took hold of his inside ... he had a lot inside and that darkness won to his love ... But I'm sure that even then, when he died, under all that darkness he still loved us," answered Louise with a voice broken by emotion .  
Victoria turned to see her mother showing her face bathed in tears.  
"That's why I have to do it, Mama! ... Because we three have only ourselves! ... Because Kate and you are the only thing I have in my life! ... And I do not want to lose you Mama! ... I do not want to lose you like I lost my Papa! " exclaimed Victoria crying and pouting like a girl.  
Louise felt that she was about to break herself, of fear and pain, of compassion for her daughter, of concern for her and for her other daughter. But she gathered strength, to try to be strong again for her ...  
"Victoria ... my sweet girl, please do not get overwhelmed ... somehow everything will be fixed, but you do not have to sacrifice for us, you do not have to ..." Louise said in a voice full of compassion and sweetness.  
"No, Mama, it's not like that! ... Your illness does not improve with conventional treatments, which are the only ones that NHS can offer you ... if we want to fight for your life we can only do it with the money that William offers, is the only way to have access to experimental and revolutionary methods, to the best doctors and treatments in the world ... And what about Kate? ... Do you think she will be happy living with Aunt Marie and her husband's scoundrel? You have always told me that they would be the last people in the world with whom you would like your daughters to live ... You know perfectly well that Kate will have a black future if she stays with them, she is not a docile girl either, she is rebellious but also sensitive, and they will destroy her soul, they will ruin her, Mama ..." Victoria said crying and with vehemence.  
Louise could not contain the tears and turned her face aside so as not to see her daughter in the eye.  
"Do you think my life will be worth it if I lose Kate and you? ... Do not you understand that I need you as much as Papa? ... But at least when I lost him I had have you ... If I lose you, I will not have no one! And Kate needs us both, we can not turn our backs on her ... if we do, we will lose her and I fear that she will not be the sister who loves me and who I love ... Tell me you would not do the same! Tell me if a man came through that door and will would offered you the same treatment that William offered me, you would not accept it ... Tell me by looking into my eyes and pledging by Papa," Victoria demanded, broken by emotion.  
Louise turned to look Victoria in the eye, her vision blurry with tears.  
"But I'm an old woman! You have your whole life ahead of you," Louise said plaintively.  
"And because I need you in my life, I do it ... You have always said that family is the first thing, that we must put the family before to anything, our own desires ... But also, if you ask me to forget what you have taught me in life, if you ask me to be selfish ... what about my future, Mama? ... What future awaits me? I left my life, and I would do it again with pleasure, but if they take Kate from me and if I lose you, it will not be worth the sacrifice ... I abandoned my studies and maybe I lost my chance to get a studentship forever, because it is very difficult they allow me to opt again ... and work and study at the same time would not be easy ... And honestly I do not want to continue being a waitress ... William also gives me a chance to study and have a better future, and what is more valuable to me, the opportunity to keep my family together, and fight to save my mother and my sister," Victoria added trying to stop crying and calm, but pouting.  
Louise looked away again, feeling her resistance waver.  
"Besides, maybe ... maybe my marriage does not have to be a farce. I do not speak of love, because I do not believe in it ... but there could be friendship, companionship, affection, even some form of love, because after all there are many different types of love, and other things that exist in a marriage between a man and a woman ... You have always said that a passionate love is not the only reason for a marriage, that there are marriages that are based on many different reasons, and not for that they have to be unhappy," Victoria said something calmer, wiping her tears with her hands.  
Louise, with a serious face and an inquisitive gaze, turned to see her daughter.  
"Are you being serious? Are you telling me you could be that man's real wife and be happy with him?" Louise asked skeptically.  
"I do not know ... he is a handsome, cultured and kind man ... when he persists he is charming, and he is ... he is enigmatic in a good way, and despite his strange behavior, I think he might like me," Victoria answered, lowering her head, blushing unable to see her mother.  
"You do not even believe it! You're determined to go on with this madness, right?" Louise intervened.  
"I'll do it, Mama, with your approval or without it," Victoria answered with a determined and somewhat defiant gaze and gesture.  
Louise snorted and began to speak expletives in German, while Victoria let her vent. Finally the woman calmed down a bit, but still reflected the disgust and worry on her face.  
"Okay ... but I want to meet him immediately, if you do want my approval and that I do not deny my consent to the treatments paid by that man," said Louise as determined as her daughter.  
"Mama ... I can do that, I can ask him to come and see you, and I'm sure if I do it, he'll come to see you ... But you have to give me your word, that you're going to behave," Victoria said trying to sound serene, but at the same severe.  
"To behave? ... Have I given you reasons to be ashamed of me?" Louise replied a little offended.  
"You know what I mean, Mama ... do not try to use your encounter with William to thwart the wedding, I do not want you to offend William in any way or say or do something that makes him change his mind ... Do not try a trick," Victoria answered very serious.  
"Young girl ... I think you forget who the mother is and who is the daughter! You should not warn or reprimand your mother ... but for your peace of mind, I give you my word that I will behave civilly with your ... your 'fiancé'. I will only behave like any mother who will meet the future husband of her daughter ... I swear," Louise said sternly.  
"Okay, I'll fix the meeting," said Victoria.  
The next day, at dusk, Victoria was waiting very nervously for William in the hospital corridor. Finally William appeared, dressed casually but elegantly, and as soon as he saw her, he smiled.  
"Hello, Victoria ... did I arrive on time?" William asked kindly.  
"Yes, of course ... thanks for coming. My mother is waiting for us," Victoria answered without being able to avoid showing her nervousness and anxiety, both because of the proximity of the encounter with her mother and because of the presence of William that still made her feel intimidated, as well as other emotions in which she preferred not to think ...  
"Are you nervous?" William asked with sincere interest.  
"Well, yes ... is that my mother, she ... it does not matter, it's silly," Victoria replied confused, uncomfortable and ashamed.  
"No, of course it matters ... and I confess that I'm even more nervous than you ... I ... well, I'm a little embarrassed ... if I were in your mother's place I would be furious and of course I would not see with good eyes to a stranger who wants to marry my daughter in this strange way ... I'm afraid of your mother's reaction, because ... I recognize that however hard she is, I deserve it, and anything she can say, will falls short," said William with honest shame, and showing nervous and a little shy.  
Victoria saw him and liked to see him more human, showing sincere empathy for her and her mother's feelings. And for a moment she felt touched.  
"Well, my mother is very strict, but deep down she is very generous, kind and a good person ... I am sure that, in spite of the circumstances, she will be very understanding " Victoria replied trying to sound convincing and reassuring, although in the background she herself was not convinced of it.  
Then William and Victoria walked to Victoria's mother's room, and they both walked in together, with Victoria walking a few steps ahead. When she saw them, Louise's face was covered with a gesture of displeasure and tension, and her gaze looked like the gaze of a hawk when saw its prey.  
"Mama, he's William Maybourne ... William, she's my mother, Louise Walker," said Victoria kindly with William and anxious about her mother's reaction.  
William stepped forward very nervously, trying to make a gentle gesture on his face, but the result was more of an intimidated gesture in front of Louise's hard look. He extended his arm and gently shook Louise's hand, while she reciprocated with a handshake reluctantly. Then, to the surprise of William and Victoria, Louise spoke in German.  
_("Er ist sogar älter als ich mir vorgestellt habe.")_ "He's even older than I imagined," Louise said in German.  
_("Mama, du hast mir versprochen, dass du mich nicht in Verlegenheit bringst! ... Sprich nicht auf Deutsch!")_ "Mama, you promised that you would not embarrass me! ... Do not speak in German!" Victoria exclaimed in German, furious.  
_("Mach dir keine Sorgen, Victoria ... ich bin bestimmt nicht mehr so ein junger Mann.")_ "Do not worry, Victoria ... I'm certainly not such a young man anymore," said William in German, with a mocking and amused smile, surprising Victoria and Louise.  
"Well, with what you speaks German ... you are a surprise box Lord William, some nice and others ..." Louise replied with irony.  
"Mama ..." Victoria said warningly and looking at her mother angrily.  
"I understand, ma'am ... I just told Victoria that if I were in your place probably my reaction would be worse ... First of all, Mrs. Louise, I want to apologize for the way I have done things, and although for you surely will be hard to believe, I only wish the best for your daughter, for you and your other daughter ... And I sincerely tell you that I admire your daughter, Victoria, and I can only congratulate you for you has educated her as she has done ... you must feel very proud of her, because from the moment I met her I realized that she is a wonderful and brave girl, that she took care of her sister in your absence as if she were her mother, as you would do yourself," said William sincere and with the voice a little excited.  
Victoria saw him and could not help feeling moved. William turned to see Victoria with a warm smile for a moment, and then he saw Victoria's mother again with a calm, kind and expectant expression. Louise seemed a little bewildered, but she was still serious and suspicious.  
"Lord William ..." Louise said tense.  
"You can call me William, ma'am," said William, gentile.  
"William ... as you yourself said, what you intend ... and the way you have proposed ... any mother in my place would feel the same as me ... It is natural that I am against this, it is normal that I oppose a marriage that would take place in these circumstances, it is normal to distrust you and your intentions ... Why do you want to marry my daughter? ... Or do you intend to tell me that you are in love with her without hardly knowing her?" Louise said.  
"Of course I understand ... and I'm certainly not in love with Victoria, but I honestly tell you that I like her and that I could fall in love with her by knowing her better ... I think any man would be proud to love a woman like her," William answered serene and almost completely sincere ...  
Victoria saw him a little surprised and quite excited, and felt her heart speed up. Louise could not help but be surprised a little too, despite herself.  
"But in that case, you could court her and get to know her better before you two take the step of getting married ... not doing things the other way around," Louise said.  
"You're right, I know this is very ... very irregular, I accept it. But I have reached a point in my life when, after many sufferings, I do not think I can waste any more time ... My life, like the life of your family, has not been as we would have wished ... I only want ... I want things to be different for the better ... if at the end of this experience, of this path, we take separate paths, at least I will have the satisfaction of having tried it and done something positive, not only for you but also for me ... I know it's not a satisfactory answer, but for now it's the only one I can give you, ma'am," said William, as if begging for understanding.  
"As you yourself said, your answer is not entirely satisfactory ... I do not know you, I do not know what your intentions are ... it is normal that before a proposal so little 'orthodox' I have misgivings. As a mother, it is normal for me, to fear the worst and imagine thousands of disturbing scenarios ... In addition, you want my two daughters to live at your home ... you will understand that being a stranger to me, I am afraid not only for Victoria, but also for my other daughter, who is only a little girl," answered Louise very seriously.  
"Mama!" Victoria exclaimed, scandalized and furious with her mother, seeing her with a look of hard reproach.  
William made an angry gesture for the first time in the whole meeting and his eyes were angry, and he clenched his right fist. But he calmed down.  
"Ma'am ... I understand your feelings, but I guarantee you that I am not a depraved pervert, and I would never harm a child. I had a son who would be just a little older than your youngest daughter," said William trying to contain his emotions.  
"You had a son? And that…?" Louise asked intrigued.  
"Mama!" exclaimed Victoria nervous and uncomfortable, trying to make her mother shut up with a meaningful look.  
"My son died two years ago, ma'am," answered William trying to sound deadpan, but with his face and his voice betraying a little his emotion.  
Louise was surprised and relaxed the look on her face.  
"I did not know it, I'm so sorry ... I can ask, how did your son die?" Louise asked in a more empathetic way.  
"Mama, no ..." exclaimed Victoria ashamed and worried about William's pain.  
"It was killed by his mother, who was my wife ... she was a drug addict with some mental problems, fed up with the disability of our son, and in a fit killed him brutally. She is serving life in prison for it," William answered harshly, like an officer who gave the part of casualties in a battle to a superior.  
Both Victoria and her mother were stunned, with their mouths open and eyes wide open, seeing William with a mixture of compassion and surprise.  
"I ... I'm sorry ... I did not know ... forgive me if I've been indiscreet and I've caused your grief," Louise apologized genuinely embarrassed and compassionate.  
"Don't worry, you had no way of knowing ... but you will understand that it is a topic that I do not like to talk about," William said seriously but trying to relax his voice.  
"We have also suffered tragedies ... apart from my illness, the death of my husband, of Victoria's father ... and I understand, because Victoria does not like to talk about it either," said Louise and saw her daughter.  
Victoria turned to see a wall because she did not want her mother or William to see the tears in her eyes.  
"I know ... and believe me I'm very sorry. As far as I know, her husband was a brave man who had to suffer a lot," said William sincerely.  
Louise and William could not help but look at Victoria when they heard her pouting as she cried.  
"William, I want to talk to you alone, a couple of minutes," said Louise quietly.  
"What? ... No way! " Victoria replied turning to see her mother and wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.  
"It's okay, Victoria ... I think your mother is being reasonable," said William.  
Reluctantly Victoria left the room and left them alone. At Louise's request, William sat on the chair beside the bed.  
"William, I do not know why strange reason I think most of what you said today is true and I think at least you are not dangerous ... even so, of course I can not completely trust ... On the other hand, Victoria is a very sweet girl, sensitive and fragile despite her appearance of strength, and had a very bad experience with a ... with a boy ... I do not know if she have told you," said Louise with her eyes fixed on William's eyes, with a scrutinizing and severe look.  
"No, ma'am ... she did not," William replied, with mixed feelings.  
"I suppose she will do it when she is ready ... the fact is that my daughter has suffered a lot for her short life and I do not want someone else to break her heart and destroy what is left of her innocence, and to cause a permanent damage her ... That's why, if you hurt her, if it causes irreparable damage her, if you play with her ... I will kill you even if it is the last thing I do in my life," said Louise very seriously, with an intense and intimidating look.  
"I understand, and I appreciate your sincerity ... and in fact I would not expect less from you. If I ... let's say that I understand the feeling of a father or a mother who would like to kill who has harmed their children ... and the impotence that is felt by not being able to do it and above all, by not being able to protect your child," said William and in the end his voice was broken by emotion, and he had to duck his head and he maked an effort so that the tears did not leave his eyes.  
Louise relaxed her face again and saw him with compassion, sadness and ... nostalgia.  
"William, there is one more thing ... your look reminds me of someone," said Louise.  
"To who?" William asked curiously.  
"Could you shake my hand?" Louise asked.  
William gave her his hand and she took it, and pulled him to have strength to sit up herself a little on the bed. Louise fixed an intense look on William's eyes that made him tremble.  
"You have very beautiful green eyes ... his eyes were blue, and they were also very beautiful. But what reminds me of him is the darkness ... my husband was a good man, but then life hit him very hard, and he could never get up. Darkness invaded him, that darkness took over every inch of his soul, and reflected in his eyes, as reflected in yours ... The problem is that the darkness takes you away from life and brings you closer to death, and someone like me tells you that I am very close to death despite myself ... my husband could not escape his tragic destiny, because the darkness won him the game ... I hope you are still in time to escape that destiny, that there is still room for the light in your soul, the light that can overcome that darkness and take you away from that path that ends in a shredded car on a highway after a night of drunkenness ... or in a smoking gun in your hand ..."  
When Louise uttered her last words, so significant and mysterious, and with that look that seemed to enter his soul to undress it in front her, William felt a chill that ran all over his skin and how his body trembled and shuddered. For a moment William thought he was going to vanish himself ...  
William said goodbye to her in a cordial way and when he got up from the chair he felt that his legs failed him, and he had to lean against the wall, before the watchful eye of Louise. Then he went to the door and found Victoria in the hallway, and she worried when she saw his pale face.  
"My mother told you something bad? ... Was she rude to you?" Victoria asked worried and nervous.  
"No ... no, she was very understanding with me, very kind ... I think in the end she and me have understood each other ... in fact, I think she is the one that has understood me best in a long time ... Do not worry, Victoria, your mother it has been very nice ... tomorrow I wait for you, your sister and your friends to settle in the house ... Now go with your mother, I must return to work," said William with a smile.  
After a few more words, Victoria went back into her mother's room. Then, William leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, remembering the words of Victoria's mother: "... a smoking gun in your hand ..."


	7. Witches and Stylists.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria meets several characters, and those encounters will cause her, strong emotions, as she continues to delve into the world of Lord William.

Victoria, Harriet, Nancy and Kate walked behind William, who showed them the inside of the guest house. The girls were impressed and Kate was delighted and happy.  
"As you can see the pool is between the big house and this house," said William pointing with his hand to the pool that was seen through the sliding glass doors of the house that were directed to the space between the two houses, where it effectively saw the large pool with the big house in the background.  
"Cool! Can I swim in it?" exclaimed Kate excitedly.  
"Kate!" exclaimed Victoria as a reprimand to her little sister.  
"Of course, Kate! I already said that from now on this is your house, you must feel that you are not a guest but the owner of the house ... if you know how to swim, and if your sister gives you permission you can swim as many times as you want," said William affectionate and with a lovely smile.  
"Cool!" Kate exclaimed.  
"Yeah, but first we will have to install us ... go unpack your things and help Harriet and Nancy ... Do not think you're going to laze," Victoria said.   
Kate was grumbling to fulfil Victoria's order, while William came to talk to Victoria.  
"I hope you feel comfortable in your new home," said William kindly and with that intense look that made Victoria nervous.  
"Of course ... the house is very beautiful and naturally very comfortable ... Thank you very much, William," Victoria replied being kind and sincere, trying to hide her nerves behind a smile.  
"I'm glad ... I'll send my housekeeper and the other maid on duty to help you all unpack and settle down," said William.  
"No, please, William ... your offer is very kind, but Harriet and Nancy are going to collect a salary from you and I'm sure they want to prove they deserve that money, and I also want them to justify it, to prove that they work and do not receive money just for being my friends ... On the other hand, I want Kate not to forget that in life you have to have responsibilities and work, I do not want her to forget what our mother taught us and she becomes a spoiled girl," Victoria replied honestly.   
"I understand, and that is something that honors you ... it is also something that reaffirms my conviction that all this is not a mistake," William said with a gesture on his face of admiration, and perhaps of other things, that made Victoria shudder a little and blush, "Well, in that case, I go to the other house to change me to return to work, in the afternoon I will see how you have gone."  
William went to the big house and sometime later Victoria, from the large window of the guest house, saw him leave the residence to go to the car where Joe was waiting for him. Victoria remained focused watching him walk, dressed elegantly in a suit and tie. She watched carefully the movements of his legs, of his shoulders and of his arms, contemplating how well his body was dressed in that made-to-measure suit, and admiring his face in profile. Suddenly, as if he had sensed that she was looking at him, he turned to see her in the window and she felt the foolish and childish temptation to hide. William gave her a beaming smile and waved at her, and Victoria responded by greeting him with her own hand and smiling a smile that she was sure must have looked silly and embarrassed. He got into the car and then Harriet approached Victoria.  
"What a good thing he does not make you horny!" Harriet exclaimed with a mocking smile.   
"Do not be silly, Harriet! I'm still trying to decipher that man, and for the moment I only feel some gratitude for him, although I still do not trust him completely," Victoria replied, appearing somewhat angry.  
"Of course ... you just clean up the slobber," retorted Harriet joker.  
"Dumb!" Victoria protested and turned her back and went to her new bedroom.  
Sometime later Victoria, her friends and sister were relaxed in the living room of the house, resting after finishing unpacking and settling in their new home. They were talking and laughing, and Victoria could forget for a moment the nerves that she felt in a strange and disconcerting new situation, without really believing that a billionaire would marry her and take her and her sister out of a poor neighbourhood from London to take them to live in a mansion.  
The girls were disheveled and dressed informally, and they all went barefoot. Victoria wore a humble short dress slightly above the knees, which had been placed to work, and which had become dirty during the tasks of unpacking and arranging things. She wore her hair loose and disheveled, and her overall appearance was like that of a hippie walking on the beach.   
Suddenly there was a knock on the door of the house.  
"I think it must be William's housekeeper. I'm sure he gave her instructions to come and talk to me ... I'd better open the door," Victoria said, gesturing to Nancy not to get up.  
Victoria went to the door and opened it. Victoria was disconcerted because in front of her was a tall woman with a nice body, white skin, dark hair and green eyes. She was dressed elegantly, with a dark blue women's jacket and pants set (of a luxurious brand of clothing) and were wearing high-heeled shoes. On one of her wrists, she wore a bracelet that was worth more than Victoria had won in more than six months of work as a waitress. The woman saw Victoria from head to toe with a frown and an intense and curious look, not exactly affectionate.  
"I am Emily, William's sister," Emily said in her accent of an aristocratic woman and assumed an almost solemn tone.   
Victoria was startled a little and her skin bristled, not knowing why. Harriet and Nancy rose from their seats, as impulsed by a spring, and only Kate remained seated but sticking her head out of the sofa for to see with curiosity.  
"I imagine you are Victoria," Emily said hypocritically because she knew perfectly well that she was Victoria because she had seen an image of her on a copy of the report commissioned by William (a copy she obtained with her sources inside the company).  
"Yes, I am Victoria ..." Victoria said nervously, with a hesitant voice, surprised by the presence of that woman who intimidates her with her look and her tone of voice, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."  
Victoria shook her hand and Emily shook it gently, but then Emily looked down to see her own hand when she withdrew it and Victoria remembered embarrassed that her hands were dirty from work with some family memories that she unpacked, and that she had dirtied the delicate hand of her future sister-in-law, that hand that wore exquisite manicure and a ring, with a small gem, that was worth a fortune.   
"Excuse me, ma'am ... I was unpacking some things and cleaning them, and I did not remember that my hands were dirty, excuse me ... I did not expect ... I did not expect to meet you or anyone else in William's family today, he did not tell me anything ... that I was not ready," Victoria replied apologizing embarrassed.   
"Yes, that's obvious," Emily said, watching Victoria from head to toe, looking down at Victoria's poor old dress, and staring at Victoria's bare feet ... the disapproving look of Emily did not go unnoticed by Victoria. She felt small and insignificant, ashamed and humiliated as if she were a homeless woman at a princess party, "Do not worry, I understand it, I skin the animals that I hunt, sometimes," added Emily taking a handkerchief from her purse, to wipe her hand, "In any case I wanted to know you since ... since you're going to be my sister-in-law," Emily added as if she were talking about her brother had been diagnosed a terminal illness.  
Victoria was nervous and confused, very uncomfortable, feeling that this woman reminded her of a small part of her painful past, a past in which she suffered the cruellest humiliation and felt contempt and mockery ...   
"Ma'am, I ... well, you have more right to be here than me, of course ... so maybe you see it as daring on my part, but ... I wanted to invite you to come on and you sit, and I can offer you something ... although of course, it is not my house but it's from your brother, but I just want ... I ..." Victoria said trying to control her nerves, trying to anticipate and avoid what it is always threatening her, crouched inside her soul, from that damn event.   
"I'm glad to see you have good manners, that's a plus point. I thank you for your kind invitation, but I must decline this time because I must return to the job because I am the second most important director of the Maybourne Corporation, after my brother ... Victoria, I want to be very sincere with you, because I know you are a young woman, mature for your age, and I think you do not waste your time in nonsense, like me ... I do not agree with this wedding, and not for you, because I have nothing against you, because I do not know you ... And I am also aware that the biggest responsibility of this is of my brother, but I can not agree with something so crazy, and I'm sure your mother thinks the same. However, I am loyal to my brother for love and duty, and that is why I must support this wedding against my best judgment. And that's precisely why I must help you adapt to your new life and for that, we must change many things and build your new image ... The first thing to do is to put yourself in the hands of my team of stylists and designers, and start working with your Communication and Image consultant," Emily said as if she were giving instructions to an employee.   
"Stylists ... Communication consultant? Ma'am, with all due respect, I do not think I need any of that, I'm very capable of deciding on ..." Victoria said, gathering strength and pride.   
"Victoria ..." said Emily using the forthright tone and look she used when she wanted to impose respect or even intimidate a group of male chauvinist executives when they mistakenly thought they could underestimate her for being a woman, and in front of that Victoria was intimidated and more nervous, "You have no idea yet what it means to enter this family and nothing less than as the wife of the head of our House, and for that reason I will explain it to you ... Our lineage goes back at least to the times of William the Conqueror, and for centuries our family has served the country and the Crown in many different ways, at the price of their lives and their blood ... we are related to the Royal Family, William has a seat in the House of Lords and has often given advice to all the Prime Ministers. Surely you know that William's fortune is one of the largest in the United Kingdom, but what you probably will not be so aware of is what lies behind ... the Maybourne Corporation. We are one of the largest multinational corporations in the world, but what matters is not the vanity of saying that our family is still in control of such an important corporation and that we earn a lot of money ... What really matters, Victoria, is the tens of thousands of people who work for us all over the world, tens of thousands of people whose livelihoods and that of their families depends on the success of our corporation and its benefits ... when we expand our operations, for example, opening new factories or starting new real estate projects, we create thousands of jobs and we bring well-being to that site ... on the contrary, when we have to reduce or eliminate some of our operations, many people are left unemployed ... I do not think I must explain to you how terrible that is, especially to you who come from the working class," said Emily with a severe tone of a strict teacher.  
Victoria was paralyzed and mute, and she felt the chill in her body and tried to clear her mind so as not to remember the past.   
"So we have a huge responsibility with our employees, but also with our suppliers, with those companies whose employees depend on us to pay their employers on time ... we have a responsibility to our thousands of shareholders, with our millions of customers spread all over the world ... But we also have other responsibilities with the charitable foundations that we support generously and with the thousands of people who benefit from them both here and in the Third World. And of course, the money we pay in taxes is very good for the governments of all the countries where we operate to help their citizens, and we are especially proud of the money we pay to our own government, here in the country ... Now, the success or failure of a company depends on a lot on its corporate image but also on the image of its main shareholders and managers ... The stability and success of our corporation depend to a large extent on the trust that shareholders, investors, partners and customers have deposited in my brother as the CEO of the corporation ... Do you know what would happen if people lose trust in my brother? It would be a disaster for our corporation, it would be instability and uncertainty, and that could put us at risk of bankruptcy because financial markets do not forgive instability, distrust and uncertainty ... The livelihood of possibly hundreds of thousands of people would be in danger, the well-being of many families. Do you know what the greatest risk is currently for my brother's prestige? I'm going to tell you ... when my brother recognized me that he was going to marry you I said him, rather, I warned him that the faith that everyone has placed in him could evaporate, because people could question his mental stability to know that he was going to marry such a young girl, that he has just met ... a cafeteria waitress," Emily said in a firm and cold tone, and with an expressionless expression.   
For Victoria it was like a slap in the face ... and there it was again, the feeling of fear that arose from her insides, that feeling that struggled to free herself and take over her body, and become an unbearable physical discomfort ... That sensation, that sickness of the soul born of humiliation and shame ... She had to clench her fists and repeat in her head the mantra that her therapist had taught her to calm down herself, to try to return the demon to the prison of her subconscious ...  
Upon hearing Emily's words Harriet's eyes filled with tears and she made a move to go to the place where her friend was with that damn woman to defend her. But Nancy grabbed her discreetly by the arm and shook her head, silently, though Nancy's eyes were also wet.   
"I do not say it with acrimony, it is simply a fact ... but if we want your wedding to not harm our corporation and the people who depend on it, we will have to build an acceptable image and build a version of your history that does not arouse so many suspicions. The story of a young, beautiful and educated student who fell in love with my brother and made him forget his painful past ..." Emily said and as she said this her voice trembled a little and a fleeting gesture of pain pierced her sphinx face, but then her cold determination returned, "So that people do not lose faith in my brother so that his credibility is safe, we must transform you from head to toe ... You must dress differently, to speak in a different way, behave in public in another way ... you will no longer be able to look simple ..." Emily added and her eyes went back to Victoria's poor dress and her bare feet, and Victoria felt as embarrassed as if she were naked in the street, "And you will need an employee next to you of the corporation, an image and communication consultant who will advise you on every move, every day ... You do not marry a man Victoria, you marry a dynasty and a corporation, you actually marry an Institution ... Spontaneity is over, the lack of caution is over, and to look like an ordinary girl is over ... old Victoria must disappear, and now we have to create a new one ... I hope you understand and collaborate."   
Victoria needed a moment to process her last words and understand that it was a kind of demand that awaited a response. She nodded her head.  
"Very well, in an hour some of my stylists will be here to start your treatment ... tomorrow I will give instructions to take you to the store of one of my designers ... Please, when you go there, wear your best current clothes ... next days will be hard, we must prepare you for the marriage commitment is communicated ... Well, it has been a pleasure to meet you, Victoria," said Emily.  
Victoria could barely say a few words and shake Emily's hand to say goodbye. When Emily turned around and left, memories of the past came to Victoria's mind like disordered bursts, confused memories that she wanted to bury ... And inside her head, Victoria saw blurred faces of several people around her, faces of people she laughed, of people who made fun of her ... Their laughter tormented her, and Victoria recovered that terrible feeling of humiliation, fear, pain ...   
Victoria fell to her knees on the floor, with tears in her eyes and feeling that she was drowning, that she could not breathe ... her friends rushed to help her, knowing that she had a panic attack again.  
Half an hour later Victoria was still lying on the sofa, with her legs in Nancy's lap, while Kate stroked her hair tenderly, worried about her older sister, and Harriet was standing to smoke a cigarette.  
"Dummy witch, I hate her!" Harriet exclaimed still angry.  
"You've said it several times, Harriet ... and you're not trying to stop smoking?" Nancy replied as she massaged Victoria's bare feet.  
"I can not help it ... that bitch put me in a bad mood!" Harriet exclaimed furiously.  
"At least I must admit that she is sincere ... and her arguments, although said in an unpleasant way, have logic," Victoria said with resignation and a certain sorrow.   
"Victoria, do not tell me you're suffering from a Stockholm syndrome," Nancy replied.  
"A what?" Harriet asked a little confused.  
"Forget it, Harriet, then I'll explain ..." Nancy replied shrugging and then turned to Victoria, "You should not let that woman affect your tranquillity and your self-esteem, Victoria."   
"No, I will not, Nancy ... but I really have to accept the changes that she demands. If the well-being of my family depends on my marriage, if all this madness is done for them ... then I have to try to make it work, at least formally. Certainly, I can not remain the same girl after accepting William's proposal ... I will do everything that woman asks of me, as long as it does not represent an unbearable humiliation for me ... it will be like fulfilling my part of a labour contract, it is about fulfilling my obligations in this business ... And I will show that witch that a working-class girl, a humble waitress, can be an elegant and sophisticated woman, who does not need to be born rich to be cultured and educated ... I'll shut up the mouth to that witch, I demonstrating that I can be equal or better than her in her own game," said Victoria serene and determined.  
"Well said, Vicky!" exclaimed Harriet as if she encouraged her favourite soccer team.  
Sometime later a knock at the door announced the arrival of the stylists sent by Emily, and Nancy went to open the door.   
They were two tall men, dressed elegantly but a little flashy. One of them was a black man, very tall and strong, the kind of men who live every day in a gym, judging by his muscular arms and the well-built pecs that were intuited under his flannel adjusted to the body. His face had virile features and a little hard, but attractive. The man had his head completely shaved, and appeared to be between 30 and 35 years old.  
The other man was white and also tall, quite thin. His physical appearance was somewhat androgynous and strange, so rare that although some might consider him attractive, for other people he was a rather common or even ugly man. Those who had lived in the Court of Queen Victoria at the beginning of her reign, upon seeing him would have thought that he was Prince Albert, the Queen's husband since the only difference with him was the clothes it which would be strange for the Victorians, and the absence of a moustache.   
Victoria was a bit intrigued to see him. Both carried elegant metal cases and presented themselves as stylists. The man who looked like Albert's reincarnation happened to be also called Albert, and the other man's name was Emerson. A few minutes later, the two men had gained the confidence of the girls, and while Emerson was in charge of manicuring Victoria's toenails, Albert was in charge of cutting her hair. Meanwhile, Victoria's friends were sitting around, and Kate had retired to play a video game.  
"I do not know why, but I feel like I knew you before, Victoria," Albert said in a warm, relaxed voice.  
"I also feel like I already knew you, I felt it since I saw you ... but I doubt it, I do not usually frequent high-society stylists," Victoria replied with a funny laugh.  
"Don't believe ... not always my clients were wealthy. And my family is working class," answered Albert.   
"So, you managed to hunt one of the most eligible bachelors in England," Emerson said with his foreign accent and somewhat effeminate voice.  
"Well, I think he actually hunted me," Victoria said with irony and a certain mockery of her particular situation.  
Albert and Emerson laughed.  
"I love this girl! Literally, thousands of beautiful women would make a deal with the Devil and give him her soul in exchange for marrying Lord William, and she does absolutely nothing and he comes and proposes marriage her ... You have no idea how several actresses and models that we know would hate you, that they sighed for him and had done anything to hook him ... those harpies would not forgive you ... But who can blame them? Putting away his immense fortune, that man is so hot ..." said Emerson amused as a child.  
"Emerson!" Albert exclaimed as a warning.  
"Come on, Al, it's just a girl talk ... Or are you jealous?" Emerson said mockingly.  
"Jealous ... me? Do not be silly," Albert replied scornfully.   
"Yes, because you think I would exchange you for Lord William if I could, and I do not deny that it would be a very tempting offer with that hot man, because ... Who can prefer Albert instead of Lord William?" Emerson said in a lascivious and mocking manner.  
Albert snorted with disgust.  
"Calm down my love ... you know you are the man of my life," Emerson said to Albert with sincerity and a look of passionate love.  
"Then ... Are you two ...?" Harriet asked with a mischievous and funny look.  
"Yes, dear ... Albert and I are gay, and we are married ... among us, of course," Emerson answered smiling.  
"Cool! I have some gay friends and once they invited me to a wedding, it was very funny," Harriet replied cheerfully.  
"Where are you from, Emerson?" Nancy asked kindly.  
"From Brazil ... from Salvador da Bahia," Emerson replied cheerfully and proudly.   
For a few minutes, Emerson told the girls how he had met his husband Albert, and the girls listened to him happily and interested. Albert wore a funny and affectionate smile. Then Emerson returned to focus on William, telling anecdotes about some women with whom he went in the past, models and actresses very beautiful and hot.  
"It is that this man is very hot, for many years he has been on the lists of the sexiest men ... but also, there are many things that people do not know because it does not appear in magazines ... Some of his old girlfriends or lovers are our friends, of Albert and I ... and they say that man is a beast in bed, one of the best lovers that any of them has ever had. He is an expert in the Kama Sutra, he seems to know and practice all the postures, and he does it very well, never getting tired and ... but, what am I telling you? Victoria knows this better than me, she can tell," Emerson said cheerfully and enthusiastically, winking at Victoria.  
Victoria blushed a lot, she turned red as a tomato. Nancy and Harriet laughed, while Emerson was bewildered and curious, and Albert himself could not help but show a gesture of amused curiosity.  
"What's so funny? ... Did I say some nonsense?" Emerson asked confused.  
"It is ... I do not know, because ... I have not had, I ... I have not had ..." Victoria said embarrassed and hesitant.   
Emerson stared at her and suddenly his eyes widened, and he made a gesture of surprise, scandal and amusement on his face.  
"Have not you slept with him yet? ... I can not believe it!" exclaimed Emerson and then he laughed in chorus with Nancy and Harriet.  
"Emerson! ... Do not be indiscreet! Do not you realize that you annoy Victoria?" Albert said a little angrily.  
"No, do not worry, Albert ... it does not bother me. I am aware that it is weird ... but William and I are a peculiar couple and our relationship is atypical ... We have decided to wait for marriage to see ... to discover what it is like to live together as husband and wife," Victoria said, lying partly, but to her own surprise opening for the first time a small door, still very small, to the possibility of having a 'normal' married life, something that did not go unnoticed for her friends Nancy and Harriet who exchanged a look of complicity.   
"Well, although outdated, I must admit that waiting for the wedding night has its charm, it's something romantic and exciting ... and especially when it comes to a girlfriend so young ... But do not worry, Victoria, you'll be in good hands ... my friend Sarah said that she discovered what it was like to be multi-orgasmic when she slept with Lord William, and I must say that is quite a feat, because my friend Sarah is very promiscuous and before going to bed with William she proved with thousands of men ... And besides, according to the women who have been with him, Lord William is very well endowed," said Emerson delighted to share horny confidences with a group of girls.  
Victoria returned to blush, to put on like a tomato, and bowed her head, hiding the gesture of her face.  
"Is it really well equipped?" Harriet asked with malice, curiosity and amusement.  
"Of course! All the women who have been with him say he has a good package, very big and powerful," Emerson replied with a lascivious and naughty giggle.   
"Emerson! You always do the same, you are very indiscreet and daring," Albert protested angrily.  
"Do not get angry, Albert! Also, you can not blame me for making references to his endowment ..." Emerson said standing up and approaching Albert while he put his arm around Albert's waist and spoke to his near the ear but in a tone high enough for the girls will hear, "after all you love the well-endowed men, and that's why you went crazy for me," Emerson added seductive and mocking, while kissing Albert behind the ear.  
"Enough, Emerson! ... This is unprofessional!" exclaimed Albert trying to look angry, but actually funny and horny, while he brusquely away from Emerson.  
Victoria and Nancy blushed, though they could not help but smile embarrassed, while Harriet and Emerson laughed and Albert also blushed but at the same time he was smiling with a mischievous smile and a foolish gesture in love.  
Emerson sat back down to continue working on the manicure of Victoria's toenails, while Albert combed a strand of Victoria's hair with skill and gentleness.  
"In any case, I congratulate you, Victoria ... you take a good husband," said Emerson affectionate and sincere.  
Then Albert chatted with Victoria about her hair, about hairstyles that might be better for the girl. When there was a pause, Victoria took the opportunity to ask questions in her head.   
"Albert ... you've known Emily for a long time?" Victoria asked curiously.  
"Yes, I've been working with her for several years. She is one of my best clients, I attend her at my beauty centre and sometimes at home or in her office ... the latter is something I do for very few clients, for the most important, so you can feel privileged, Victoria," answered Albert in a friendly tone and with an affectionate smile.  
"She's pretty unpleasant, right?" Harriet asked seriously, and immediately received a poke from Nancy and Victoria fulminated with the gaze her.  
Albert and Emerson laughed.   
"It's quite a witch, is not it? Yes, she is not exactly the most affectionate and sweet woman, and she gives the image of being arrogant and unfriendly ... but deep down she is a good person, she is noble and generous. What happens is that despite being rich she has not had an easy life, she has suffered a lot ... And she is a naturally distrustful person, as she has to be in such an important businesswoman, who has to fight in the sexist world of the sharks of finance ... An executive woman like her always has to be twice or triple as ruthless and hardworking as men to prove their worth, to show that she is worthy of the place she occupies ... Besides, she is very protective of people who loves and is like a rabid dog to protect them. You must understand, Victoria ... she does not hate you or have anything against you, she does not despise you, she just does not trust you yet and it will take time for you to earn her trust ... but if you do, be assured that when she gives her love and her trust to someone, she never retires it in life," said Albert with sincerity and affection for Victoria.  
"I believe you, Albert. But I hope she does not dedicate herself to making my life bitter while deciding if I am worthy of her trust ..." Victoria replied with kindness and mocking smile ... afterwards, she became more serious and shy, "Albert, did you meet William's previous wife?" Victoria asked cautiously.   
Immediately there was a change in the atmosphere... Emerson and Albert became tense, and their faces darkened, while Emerson looked out of the corner of his eye at Albert who had been frozen with Victoria's hair in his hands. Harriet and Nancy noticed the change in the couple of men, and they were left in suspense and a little uncomfortable. Victoria felt an unpleasant current of energy and without knowing why her heart quickened and felt something like anguish and fear ...  
"I met her ... unfortunately ..." Albert replied with a tone full of mixed feelings, among which stood out the repulsion, the fear, the contempt and the pain, "It is the darkest and horrible being that I have known in my life ... horrible for inside, obviously not on the outside, because she was ... or is, a beautiful woman. Her soul is rotten, she is a monster," he added with a certain grudge.  
"I understand, I ... I just wanted to know something about her to better understand William ... And William's son, I guess you met him ... How was he?" Victoria asked shyly.  
"The boy ... the boy was ..." Albert answered in a voice broken by emotion, and suddenly began to moan piteously as a small child and covered his face with one hand.  
Emerson stood up and walked over to Albert, and hugged him affectionately caressing his back. Harriet and Nancy were surprised, and Victoria was very distressed.   
"Sorry! I did not want to ... excuse me, Albert, I'm a stupid imprudent ... I did not want to upset you," Victoria said very nervously and worried.  
"No, forgive me! It's just that this poor child was so sweet ... despite his autistic condition, he was a very cute and sweet child. As his aunt was my client, I ended up being the one in charge of cutting his hair since he was little, and I had to have a lot of patience, you know ... but with the help of his father, he always cooperated. I have never met a father better than Lord William ... that man was very loving and sweet with his son. There was nothing more important in the world for him than his son and he took care of it with patience and great care. And when the poor boy ... when the tragedy happened, that poor man was absolutely destroyed, he was broken by the pain ... It was so painful, for the boy and his father, and also for Emily ... the whole family was destroyed ... To see Lord William at the funeral broken and sunken, and to remember the images of the child, all the times I was with him ... It was horrible!" Albert said and then broke down crying again.   
Victoria lowered her head and tears came from her eyes, she touched. Harriet and Nancy were also sad.  
"It was a very big tragedy, Victoria! That's why in the family no one talks about it, nor the friends either ... it's a taboo," said Emerson watching Victoria while hugging and comforting his husband, Albert.  
"I understand ... I also know how a tragedy can break a family," Victoria said sadly.  
After a few minutes, they had all calmed down and talked quietly again, when suddenly William came to the house.  
"Hello, Albert ... I'm glad to see you, I have not seen you for a long time," said William kindly, as he put a hand on Albert's shoulder.  
"The happiness is mine, William," replied Albert affectionately.  
"It's also a pleasure to see you, Emerson," said William, shaking the man's hand.  
"Pleasure is all mine, Lord William," Emerson replied happily and a little coquettishly.   
"Excuse everyone, but I have little time and I need to talk a couple of minutes alone with Victoria," said William amicably.  
Everyone else went out to the pool and garden area, while Victoria and William were left alone in the living room of the guest house. Victoria was a little embarrassed because she was sitting covered with a hairdressing robe and curlers on her head.  
"Something important came up that I must attend it, and I have to fly on my plane to Brussels ... but when I was on the highway I found out from a timely call from someone on my staff that a certain person was here ... So on the phone, I ordered them to delay the flight and I decided to come here before I left ... What did Emily tell you, Victoria?" William asked serene and friendly, but with an intense look.  
"No, nothing important ... she just wanted to meet me ... It was kind, of her part," Victoria lied in part.  
"My sister does not distinguish herself for being very kind," William replied with irony and a mocking smile, "I suspect what she told you ... surely I speak of the need to do what she wants, that you submit to her agenda and accept to change your way of being to be the perfect wife for her brother ... Did she make you feel bad, Victoria?" he asked with a worried look.   
Victoria ducked her head.  
"Victoria, do not listen to my sister ... I do not need you to change ..." William said with affection and tenderness, and then put his fingers under Victoria's chin and made her raise her head, to her surprise, "For me you-you are perfect as you are, you are one of the most special people I have met in my life and for that reason I would not change you, for any other woman in the world ... You are simply perfect, Victoria, convince yourself of that because I do not need to convince myself, I know," he added with an intense look that made Victoria tremble.  
Through the large window of the house, the others saw what was happening inside the house.  
"He's going to kiss her ... he's going to kiss her!" Harriet exclaimed excitedly.  
"And she wants it!" exclaimed Emerson holding Harriet's arm.  
Nancy and Albert rolled their eyes, but they were also funny. William turned to see them and everyone turned around pretending they were not watching.   
"I'm sorry ... I think your friends and Albert are waiting for you, and they also waiting for me at the airport ... see you later, Victoria," said William with a charming and amused smile, and then he stood up and went to the door.  
Victoria hesitated a moment as she followed him with her gaze, and then spoke hastily.  
"William! ..." Victoria exclaimed anxiously and he turned around, "Take care ... that you do well," added Victoria affectionate and shy.  
"Of course ... take care of yourself too, I'll be back tomorrow," he said with a smile that melted the ice and then left.  
"Take care? You're stupid, Victoria!" Victoria said speaking to herself.  
Then Victoria saw Nancy, Harriet, Albert, and Emerson standing in the doorway watching her with mocking and malicious smiles on their faces.  
"The first one to make a joke I will strangle her with the cable of the hairdryer!" Victoria exclaimed although, in the end, she ended up laughing when the others started laughing and humming the wedding march.


	8. House of Lords.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While veiled movements occur, Victoria must face an emotionally intense day, when the past influences the present.

Mrs Jenkins and Jessica Cave were walking down the corridor on the eighth floor of the Maybourne Tower.  
Jessica was a young woman with less than 30 years old, white skin, short height and thin, although her face had cheeks a little fat or chubby. She was not exactly a beautiful girl, but neither was she ugly, and her face was that of a sweet and nice person. On the contrary, Mrs Jenkins was a middle-aged woman, a little obese and with a stern face, permanently with a watchdog gesture.  
Mrs Jenkins dressed like a businesswoman, but with an austere style, with pants and jacket, in dark colour. Jessica was wearing a short skirt slightly below the knees, a white blouse with a small neckline and a jacket (the skirt and jacket were grey colour), and she wore shoes with a slightly high heel. The girl had a folder with papers under her arm and her face showed a gesture of cheerful enthusiasm.  
Jenkins and Jessica briefly greeted the secretary who had her desk a few steps from the door of her boss's office. Both women approached the door, and then Jenkins stopped and turned around to see Jessica's eyes.  
"Miss Jessica, I think I do not have to tell you how important this job is. As Director of the Department of Communication and Corporate Image of the Maybourne Corporation, I have under my command a very competent team with dozens of highly qualified professionals. Among the members of that team, I chose you, a young woman with little experience but with great enthusiasm and up to now reasonably effective. That's why I hope you do not disappoint me," said Mrs Jenkins with a serious tone and a cold expression on her face.  
"I understand, and I appreciate it, Mrs Jenkins, and I assure you that I will not disappoint you," Jessica answered sweetly and enthusiastically, like a girl eager to please her stern mother.  
"No, Miss Jessica, you do not understand it completely ... behind that door is the person to whom I have to answer directly, and if you do not fulfill your work satisfactorily, that person will make me responsible for having chosen to you ... And I do not have to say that if I have serious problems, yours will be worse. So ... you should not fail ... you will not do it," said Mrs Jenkins with an intimidating look.  
"No ... no, ma'am ... I will not," Jessica said nervously as if she were afraid.  
Jenkins saw her a few more moments, with an intense look, as if trying to find signs of error or a lie, then she allowed herself to sigh and knocked on the door of the office and received permission to enter. On a metal plaque above the door was "Emily Palmer, Chief Operating Officer."  
Upon entering they saw Emily sitting behind her large desk, her head bowed and her eyes focused on the papers she had on her desk. Jenkins and Jessica walked and stopped, standing in front of the desk. Jessica wanted to open her mouth to say hello, but Jenkins gave her a discreet signal to keep quiet.  
Both women continued to stand in silence, in front of the desk where the third woman was apparently concentrated reading her papers. Jessica caught a glimpse of Mrs Jenkins, who seemed imperturbable with her guard dog's face, her gaze fixed at some point over Emily's head as if she see the wide view of London that could be seen through the wide window. Then Jessica saw the woman sitting behind the desk, that woman who seemed to ignore them as if they were not there.  
A couple of minutes later Jessica was nervous, while Mrs Jenkins suppressed a small, ironic smile. Jenkins knew Emily too well and knew that this was a tactic she used to make people nervous, especially her subordinates.  
"So you're Miss Jessica Cave, the one chosen by Mrs Jenkins?" Emily said finally raising her head to see them, while she pushed the documents aside with one hand and removed her glasses with the other hand. "Mrs Jenkins considers you a very talented person, it seems that you are the young promise of the Department of Communication and Corporate Image," she added with an intense look.  
"Thank you very much, Mrs Palmer ..." Jessica began to respond.  
"I prefer Mrs Emily or just ma'am," Emily said, expressionless.  
"Yes, ma'am ... I appreciate the trust you and Mrs Jenkins have placed in me," replied Jessica, affectionate and a little nervous.  
"I have read your file, which Mrs Jenkins sent me ... two years ago that you graduated from the University with honours and almost immediately you started working in our company, and during this time the evaluations of your work have been excellent ... You are the ideal one to work as ... the communication and image consultant of my future sister-in-law," Emily said with a frown when she mentioned the word sister-in-law, "As Mrs Jenkins has had explained to you, you are quite close to her in terms of age ... well, at least more than the rest of the employees in your department, and obviously you two have in common that you are women ... Two young women, practically from the same generation, you should understand each other better, in such a particular context," she added.  
"You are right, ma'am ... and in fact, I have already thought of an action plan to promote the image of miss Victoria. I have some work schemes and ideas for her first public appearances, here I have some sketches ..." Jessica said searching her folder anxiously and enthusiastically, "Of course, I can also make a virtual presentation, and if I may ..." she added, eager to impress the powerful woman.  
"I'm sure your ideas are brilliant and I'll gladly check them, later," Emily said with a wave of her hand for the girl to stop, "But now I would like to tell you about the other part of your work ... I need you to be my eyes and my ears ... I will be direct and honest, I need you to inform me of all the facts of my sister-in-law's life, I need you to tell me ... who she is talking to, who she is related to ... especially if they are men ... I need you to tell me what she is doing all day, where she goes and with whom, what she says when she talks to you or with other people, what are her ideas and preferences ... I need to know if she has vices and what they are ... Anyway, tell me everything you can find out about she, working in intimacy with her," said Emily with her eyes fixed on Jessica's eyes.  
Jessica saw Emily and then Mrs Jenkins in disbelief, rather bewildered.  
"Excuse me, Mrs Emily ... do you want me to spy on your sister-in-law?" Jessica asked nervous and surprised.  
"Well, you do not need to name things, right? ... What you need are facts ... Miss Jessica, you are at the beginning of your career and you can have a bright future in our corporation, you can climb the promotion ladder in your department ... but I do not have to tell you that for that it is essential to have the confidence of the right people, that is, of Mrs Jenkins and above all of me ... We can boost your career a lot ... but you should also know, that if you fail in our corporation and leave here without good recommendations ... well, that can be a major obstacle to your career, in fact, could block your career at least in Great Britain or even throughout Europe," said Emily so calmly and friendly that it did not seem a veiled threat, although the intention was obvious in her words and in her gaze.  
Jessica saw Mrs Jenkins looking at her with an intimidating gesture, and then she looked at Emily again, and she understood another reason why Jenkins had chosen her ... she was susceptible to being coerced and was ideal to spy on Victoria.  
"On the other hand, it is not something so serious ... I am simply concerned about the welfare of my brother and therefore of the corporation, and I want to make sure of the suitability of Miss Victoria ... And of course, your fundamental task will be the to advise her in terms of image and communication, but in a secondary but essential way you will do what I have asked and through Mrs Jenkins, you will report to me regularly ... Can I count on you?" Emily said in a more severe tone and with an inquisitive look.  
Jessica just needed a few moments to respond.  
"Yes, ma'am ... of course," Jessica answered trying to hide her discouragement.  
The next day, in a very spacious and comfortable room of a private hospital (a luxurious room to be a room in a medical centre), Victoria's mother rested in her bed. Then Nancy entered the room and greeted her cheerfully.  
"Victoria told me that the room was very beautiful, but I think she fell short ... it really is a big improvement over the NHS hospital's room, right, Mrs Louise?" Nancy asked enthusiastically while sitting on a chair next to the bed.  
"Yes, I recognize that the room is like a hotel suite, it is even better than the hotel suite where I spent my honeymoon ... And the staff is very friendly and the service excellent ... Victoria and Kate were accompanying me for several hours today," Louise said kindly.  
Then they both talked animatedly for several minutes until there was a pause.  
"Nancy, I told Victoria to tell you to come, besides because I'm always glad to see you because I want to ask you a special favour... you know I love you very much and I trust you, you've been friends with Vicky since you two were little girls and I've seen you grow ... That's why I ask you ... I beg you to keep me informed of everything that happens in that house ... I want you to watch Victoria and especially Lord William, I want you to see everything that happens between them especially after the wedding ... I want you to be my eyes and my ears to know what happens between my daughter and that man," Louise said as she held Nancy's hand and saw her intensely in the eyes.  
"Louise, do you want me to spy on Victoria and her husband?" Nancy asked nervously and a little uncomfortable.  
"Nancy, you love Victoria as a sister, and I am her mother and I love her more than anyone ... I need to know that my girl is safe, I need to protect her ... I can not trust that man, the fact that I had to accept this madness does not mean that I trust him, I can not help but suspect the intentions of that man, I really do not know what he intends with all this," said Louise serious and worried.  
"I know that you are absolutely right, and certainly I also believe that all this has been implausible, crazy ... but Mrs Louise, it really seems to me that Lord William is not a bad man. It's true that I do not know about him enough, I can not judge him yet, but what I've seen of him makes me believe he has no bad intentions about Victoria ... anyway, of course, I'll always try to protect Vicky and I will never be passive if I see that someone tries to hurt her, you know ... but what you ask me, Mrs Louise, is that I spy on them," replied Nancy.  
"Nancy, I do not ask you to do something indecent ... I simply ask you to do what I can not do myself, which is to take care of my daughter. There's nothing wrong with watching what happens, watching to make sure that Vicky is not in danger ... Although it seems weird, Nancy, despite such abnormal circumstances, I also have the feeling that this man is not so bad or dangerous as I originally feared, but obviously I can not be sure and sometimes under the guise of a charming man a dangerous madman hides, and his plan with Victoria awakens me distrust ... that's why I beg you to do what I ask, for me and Victoria," Louise said gently, squeezing Nancy's hand.  
"It's okay, Mrs Louise ... I'll do what you ask," Nancy replied affectionately.  
Three days later Victoria was finishing dressing, makeup and hair in Albert and his husband Emerson's beauty salon, her accompanied by them and Nancy, Harriet and Kate. Everyone else was watching her dressed in an elegant suit and high-heeled shoes, and they praised her.  
"You look like a dream, Vicky," said Harriet with a lovely smile.  
"Certainly, you look beautiful, Victoria. I think Lord William will be very proud of you," said Albert, as would speak Victoria's best gay friend, which was in fact what he was becoming.  
"Thank you ... thank you very much," said Victoria with a certain embarrassment, a sweet smile and a nervous attitude.  
"Are you scared, Vicky?" Nancy asked affectionately.  
"Yes, Nancy ... that meeting makes me nervous," Victoria answered fearfully.  
"You do not have to worry, Victoria ... I think you have a natural, innate sophistication ... and I'm sure Lord William knows how to appreciate it, and that's one of the reasons why he likes you. And, you have to get used to it because this will be your life from now on," Albert said sweetly.  
"Al is right, sweetie ... you are an innate star, and with a little effort you will overshadow all those women of the high society," Emerson said cheerfully.  
"Thanks, Emerson ... Albert ... you two give me encouragement," Victoria replied.  
A couple of minutes later Jessica entered the beauty parlour. She had met Victoria a couple of days before, and immediately she had proposed to Victoria's activity for that day. Jessica told her that they should leave now, that driver Joe was waiting for them outside with the limousine.  
"Lord William must already be arriving ... he had to go directly from the Maybourne Tower. Miss Victoria ..." said Jessica, who was sitting next to Victoria in the wide compartment of the limousine.  
"Jessica, I already told you that I would like you to call me simply Victoria or even Vicky. After all, you're only a few years older than me," Victoria said with a warm smile.  
"Sorry, Victoria ... it's just that working with Mrs Jenkins and Mrs Emily I've gotten used to dealing formally with my bosses ... You can call me Jessi if you want," Jessica said with a smile.  
"Okay ... Jessi," Victoria replied cheerfully.  
Jessica could not help feeling sympathy for that lovely young woman, and she felt guilty for having to be a spy for her sister-in-law (that she looked like a witch from a Disney animated film). And she prayed to God that the girl would not do anything stupid or inappropriate that her sister-in-law could use against her. At that moment she watched as Victoria wrung her hands and outlined a gesture of tension on her face.  
"Are you nervous, Victoria?" Jessica asked with empathy.  
"Yes ... being honest, I'm a little afraid," Victoria answered with a nervous giggle.  
"You do not have to worry ... everything will be fine. It is very simple, it is simply a small public appearance for the press to see you for the first time near Lord William. Remember the plan, the journalists will see you next to him, the images will be made public, they will begin to speculate about you, and then we will make a statement to the media and social networks. Everything will seem more authentic, a beautiful love story, that of a powerful and famous billionaire in love with a young student who stole his heart with its beauty, tenderness and charm ... We will try to control the news in our favour," said Jessica speaking professionally but with enthusiasm.  
"I understand, but ... anyway, I feel intimidated ... I'm not used to this kind of thing," Victoria replied with some shyness.  
"I understand, but we will be by your side all the time ... I'll take care of you and Lord William will be with you to protect you," Jessica replied.  
The limousine went to the Palace of Westminster.  
Upon arrival, Victoria was guided by Jessica through security controls and protocol staff to the visitors' gallery of the House of Lords of the British Parliament and they took a seat.  
"Lord William does not usually participate in the sessions of the House, much less talk ... but as you know Victoria today is a special occasion," said Jessica in a low voice.  
After the speeches of two peers, it was William's turn. Victoria felt her heart speed up and her skin bristled when she watched him prepare to deliver his speech. And she felt a strange feeling of excitement at seeing him so elegant and imposing, so powerful, a feeling ... of pride?  
William's speech was about a bill to amend a law to take additional measures to help children with mental health problems, handicapped or with rare diseases and their families, and to improve funding for programs for these children and their families, and scientific research in this regard.  
"... as a father that I was from a child with special needs, I know how important this amendment is. As a sponsor of a foundation dedicated to these purposes, I have known closely the suffering of tens or hundreds of families, but also the extraordinary courage and perseverance of these parents, their infinite love. But it is necessary that our society does not turn its back on these brave people, that we make an additional effort that for society as a whole is not so burdensome but for these people, it can make a big difference. We must support measures that are common sense, which has been made with the invaluable advice of those people who have either suffered this tragedy in their own lives or who have devoted their lives to helping those who have suffered it. Believe me when I tell you that when you see a special child or their parents in the eyes, you would have no doubt that any help is small and that the measures born of those who fight in the front line to bring hope and comfort to these families they are better than those that any bureaucrat away from that reality could devise ... "  
Victoria was absorbed in the emotional and very well argued speech of Lord William, and her eyes filled with tears, because she knew that those words were born of William's pain for his son. Jessica, with a sweet smile, gave her a handkerchief and Victoria thanked her with her own smile.  
At the end of the session, Victoria and Jessica met with William in a hallway at the House. He was very kind, although in the gesture of his face the sadness was appreciated.  
"I think it was a beautiful speech ... it moved me," said Victoria sincerely and with a certain shyness.  
"Thank you very much ... I'm glad you liked it," said William with a sad smile.  
Then they went to a small room where there was a meeting with a snack for some parents benefited by the charitable foundation sponsored by William that helped children with special needs, handicapped or with rare diseases. William introduced Victoria as his fiancee to several of them, and the atmosphere was very sweet and pleasant.  
At one point during the meeting, Victoria was conversing alone with the parents of a child who had a rare disease that partially disabled him (the child had been left in the care of other relatives so that his parents could attend the event). They were a rather fat lady, blonde, just over 45 years old, and her husband was a few years older than her, also very fat, and white skin and dark hair with enough grey hair. They were a working-class couple, but they wore their best clothes to look reasonably elegant for the occasion. Both spoke to her of how much William and his foundation had helped them, and of the kindness and empathy of him, from the times before the death of William's son.  
"I'm glad William finally found a woman to rebuild his life and start a new family, he deserves it because he is a good man. And I'm glad it's with a girl as lovely as you are," said the woman.  
"Thank you very much, ma'am," Victoria replied, blushing and with a beautiful smile.  
"And above all, I'm glad you're not the typical high-class stuffy girl, it does not even look like you came from a wealthy family," the lady's husband said sincerely.  
"Robert!" exclaimed the lady in a scolding tone addressing her husband.  
"I'm not from a rich family! I come from a working-class family," Victoria said as she laughed happily as a funny girl, making the couple exchanged a surprised look.  
"I already said that your accent did not seem that of an uptown girl ... although of course, you speak very well to be a working girl," said the man, hurrying to clarify his appraisement before the fulminating look of his wife.  
"In that case, I am more happy for you and for him ... Lord William deserves to have a good wife with her feet on the ground that brings him back to life ... The poor man has not recovered since his son," said the woman becoming sad.  
"Did you know him ... before the tragedy?" Victoria asked curiously.  
The woman's face was covered with a grim gesture of sadness and compassion.  
"Yes, and rarely in my life has my heart broken, as it broke when I saw William broken by the loss of the child," the woman replied with moist eyes.  
"If you excuse me ... I'm thirsty, I'll see if I get something to drink, water or whatever," said the man a little uncomfortable, while retiring.  
"Men ... sometimes prefer to go into a burning building, instead to face an emotional moment," said the woman with irony, "Although I must admit that my husband has had a great deal of suffering from our son," she added sadly, "But at least our child he is alive, and I thank God for that ... and that way in which Lord William lost his son, that is so horrible that no father or mother deserves to suffer something like that," the woman said without being able to prevent tears from spilling from her eyes.  
"He ... he ...?" Victoria could not find the right words to ask.  
"Imagine, Victoria ... imagine a father who has sacrificed everything he could sacrifice for the sake of his son, who loves him with an infinite and desperate devotion, who protected him as if he were the only being in the world that gave meaning to his life because it really was that way ... And now imagine that they take the life of his son in the cruellest way, and that who did it is precisely the other person in the world who should have loved and protected him the most ... Lord William was a man absolutely broken, destroyed ... sunk in a terrible depression, on the brink of insanity, crying without stopping, did not eat, did not sleep ... My heart broke again when I saw him a month after the death of the child, the poor man had lost so much weight that seemed almost skeletal, his beautiful face sunken and emaciated, his eyes sad and lifeless, absent ... I know he was hospitalized, I know ... I know he was also about to die because the pain was going to cause his death in a way or another ... Oh Victoria, it is impossible to describe it with words! It is impossible to convey the image of what we saw, and it had to be worse for his family and close friends, they had to witness how that man full of happiness and vitality, despite the special condition of his son, was turned into a man broken by the pain that only wanted to die ... and that he has never been the same again," the woman said with her voice broken by emotion, with tears coming out of her eyes.  
Victoria's eyes were also full of tears and she saw William in the distance talking animatedly with other people, and fortunately, he did not turn around to see her cry.  
"I only hope that you can return that happiness and vitality, that desire to live," said the woman taking a handkerchief from her bag to dry her eyes.  
"I ... I hope so too it," Victoria said drying her tears with the handkerchief Jessica gave her, feeling guilty because she was afraid it would not be like that.  
When she left the event with William, he asked her if she was okay because he saw Victoria's sad look and compassion.  
"Yes, of course ... it's just, been an intense day ... Thank you for inviting me," Victoria said sweetly.  
"Thank you for joining me ... Can we get out by holding each other's hands? It's part of Jessica's plan for the press photographers to shoot it when we're boarding the car," said William charmingly.  
"Yes, of course," Victoria replied with a smile as she took his hand, and then she blushed.  
They both climbed into the limousine holding hands, while some surprised photographers captured some images of the famous Lord William Maybourne and his mysterious and young female companion with whom apparently had a love relationship.  
Upon returning to the house, William chatted with Victoria and Nancy for a few minutes while they drank coffee, but then he excused himself because he was tired and retired to the big house, while Victoria and Nancy continued talking in the guest house.  
Victoria told Nancy all the emotions that awakened the intense day, the pain and compassion that she felt for William's tragedy, and how she wanted to talk to him, to understand and comfort him.  
Nancy advised her to go talk to him, accompany him and try to get close to William emotionally. With some doubt and shyness, Victoria went to the big house, crossing the pool area, dressed in a simple dress and wearing flip-flops.  
As she had become accustomed in the time she had lived in William's residence, Victoria opened the door to the big house and entered with absolute confidence. As she approached the living room, she heard a plaintive cry and stopped immediately.  
Slowly and cautiously, Victoria stuck her head out and saw William sitting in an armchair at an angle that he could not easily see her. Victoria realized that William was crying like a child, in such a heartbreaking way that it could be touching a hard heart. The man trembled strongly, almost as if he had convulsions, and cried hysterically, his face reflecting all the pain of his soul broken by that old and bitter suffering.  
Victoria trembled and cried in silence, feeling the desire to approach him and embrace him to comfort him. But at the same time, she felt self-conscious, intimidated by the lack of trust between the two. Victoria withdrew trying not to make noise so William would not listen and then she left the big house.  
When she went outside, Victoria raised her head and saw the dark night sky, her eyes misty with tears. And then a flood of images, terrible images of a night, a few years before, came to Victoria's mind. One night when a phone call woke up her mother, and Victoria and she had to run out of their apartment, after leaving her sister Kate in the care of Nancy's mother.  
The vivid images returned to Victoria's mind when she and her mother arrived at the hospital in despair. The questions and the prayers, the moments of waiting with fear gripping their hearts, both tormented fearing the outcome of that fateful night, praying for a miracle. And then the blow, the images of her mother broken by the pain, and she herself kneeling on the floor, crying hysterically, feeling the greatest pain in her brief life, a pain that choked her as if she lacked all the air, the pain of not seeing that beloved face again and feeling his warm hands, the pain of the loss of her father ...  
Victoria was united to William in the experience of the worst and most mortifying pain ... him for the tragic death of his son, she for the death of her father. That thin but solid thread that unites two people who have lived too much pain ...  
With the images of the night of her father's death, taking over her head, feeling the oppression in her chest, Victoria entered the guest house and seeing Nancy broke down crying piteously, and dropped to the floor, sitting and with her back against the wall. Anguished Nancy knelt beside her, and stroked her hair as she asked if she had argued with William.  
"He's suffering! ... he's broken and I could not comfort him! ... I should have hugged him and told him everything was going to be fine, I should ... but I could not, Nancy ... The night Papa died, Nancy ... that night I needed they to hugged me and Mama did ... but the pain does not go away, it never goes away ... He does not deserve it, Nancy! ... Nobody deserves it, nobody!" exclaimed Victoria crying almost hysterically and pouting.  
"Easy, sweetie! ... Easy!" Nancy exclaimed hugging her.  
Nancy made Victoria lean against her chest and hugged and caressed her, cooing her as if she were a little girl, while Victoria kept crying in a heartbreaking way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I invite you all to join the Facebook group: "Vicbourne - Queen Victoria and Lord Melbourne" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/344683249269996/) where you can enjoy the best of Vicbourne.


	9. An awkward encounter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While she realizes that she is increasingly emotionally dependent on William, Victoria faces an unpleasant moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this prolonged absence, but my real life is far from perfect. I pray for your patience because I will delay in updating and I will make shorter chapters.

Victoria was in the aisle waiting with unconcealed nervousness. It was undoubtedly an uncomfortable situation, but as always she had to face it with courage and dignity, for her mother and especially for her sister. Since fate had begun to mercilessly beat her family, Victoria knew she had no choice but to be much stronger and braver than most people at her age were, and they could not expect help from anyone. Although that changed when William entered her life ...  
Victoria felt more and more secure when he was at her side and thus came the feeling that someone was protecting her, a feeling that had disappeared when her father died and later when her mother became ill. But these feelings were for Victoria a relief and at the same time a cause for concern because she was terrified to know that she was becoming dependent on William, and her common sense told her that this was the last thing to do in this strange situation.  
Her head was full of dark thoughts when she saw William appear, with his eternal smile that made him look much more handsome and that for Victoria's anguish it accelerating her heart. She responded with a shy smile.  
Both greeted each other cordially and spoke for a few minutes of the meeting they were about to have. Then he received a call to his mobile phone, something urgent business, and had to apologize to go to answer the call to a more private site. Victoria was alone again and she was nervous again, not having William's protective company.  
Then Victoria saw the people she least wanted to see ... her Aunt Marie and her husband, Uncle John. Some people who had lived in the Court of Queen Victoria would have been surprised to see that this woman was physically identical to the mother of Queen Victoria, the Duchess of Kent and that the man was identical to Sir John Conroy, the alleged lover of the Duchess.  
Both were dressed in a way that pretended to be elegant, but in reality, it was somewhat old-fashioned and cheap, worthy of two people without money who wanted to appear to have more money and style than they really had.  
As Victoria feared, both approached her and began to reproach her, and soon Victoria was involved in a heated argument with them.  
"You are foolish and irresponsible! ... You know perfectly well that the best thing for Kate is to be with us! " Marie exclaimed angrily and accusingly.  
"Mama does not think the same, aunt, and neither do I. And of course Kate does not want to live with you two," Victoria replied, trying to keep calm, but containing her anger and emotion.  
"Your mother is not in her right mind because of her illness and you are a capricious and ungrateful girl," said Marie more and more furious.  
"My mother has not lost her mind, she is more lucid than ever and knows what is best for her daughters and that is certainly not living with you," answered Victoria, who found it increasingly difficult to stop her own anger.  
"And that's living with your 'sugar daddy'? " John asked with anger and sarcasm.  
"What have you said?! " Victoria replied surprised and furious.  
"For what they have told us, now you are the lover of an old rich cradle robber ... and that bastard wants to use his money to buy custody of Kate ... The only good thing about this story is to verify that I was always right about you, you are a dark horse, under that disguise of decent and prudish girl hid your true way of being," said John with scorn and malign pleasure.  
"Be careful what you say! ... I will not tolerate that you offend me! " exclaimed Victoria furiously as she raised her voice.  
"The one who will not tolerate your insolence is me ... your behaviour is shameful, and that's why I'm not going to allow you to disrespect us, and to harm Kate with your selfishness," said John.  
"Do you dare to talk about shameful behaviour and selfishness? You only want custody of Kate to get social welfare, to get money from the government! Money that you would surely spend on alcohol and gambling, and that because you are not able to keep a job for more than a few weeks," Victoria replied.  
"You are an insolent rude! It really is a shame that you have the blood of my Marie, nobody can be proud to be family of someone like you ... How dare you see your aunt at the face! ... After, we have learned that you're sleeping with an old rich man for his money ..." John replied with anger and contempt.  
"Shut up, dirty scoundrel! ... That's a lie! I'm not sleeping with him, I'm going to marry him, and he's not an old man, let alone a dirty old scoundrel like you ... He is an honourable gentleman to whom you are not worthy to tie the shoelaces! " exclaimed Victoria indignantly.  
"Of course, an honest gentleman who buys a shameless girl who could be his daughter! ... Now we really know you, you have no decency ... now I am sure that in that famous incident that boy was not guilty and it was you who acted like a whore," John exclaimed with hatred and evil perversity.  
"John, do not say that! " exclaimed Marie scandalized, even horrified at the daring of her husband.  
Victoria recoiled as if she had been slapped in the face, and felt that she was reliving all the pain and humiliation of the worst moment of her life when she knew evil in her short life. Her whole body trembled and her eyes filled with tears.  
"You're the worst bastard that was born! ... You're a mean and indecent coward! ... I'll never let my sister be next to a swine like you that the only thing you've done in your life, it is to live on my fool aunt! " exclaimed Victoria with all her hatred and her rancour.  
"Damn brat ... bitch! " exclaimed John cholerically.  
"Damned!" Victoria shouted as she lunged forward and extended her arm to slap her uncle John.  
But he grabbed her wrist roughly and twisted her arm a little.  
"Let go of me, you bastard! " Victoria cried hurt and almost hysterical while trying to slap him with the other hand, but he also grabbed her wrist.  
"John, leave her! " Marie exclaimed in anguish trying to hold her husband by the arm.  
"This shameless one needs a lesson! " John replied with a crazed look of anger.  
At that moment William burst in and with a violent shove threw John against the wall and placing an arm against John's throat immobilized him.  
"You're the one who needs a lesson, you cowardly bastard! ... This is the last time you put your dirty hands on her! " William exclaimed furiously and with a murderous look.  
"William! " Victoria exclaimed surprised and feeling safe with his apparition, but also distressed by what might happen.  
"Let go of me, fuc ...! " John yelled surprised and angry.  
"Shut up! Listen to me scoundrel ... this is going to be the last time in your life that you insult, threaten or try to attack Victoria, because if it happens again your life will be hell ... Just so you know I am Lord William Maybourne, and I am willing to use all the means at my disposal to protect Victoria ... In the case of a man like you, it will not be very difficult because you yourself have made the rope for your gallows ... I know there are at least a couple of former employers who suspect you, for lost money, and with the right help and direction can be encouraged them to bring their suspicions to the police ... There are also some people who could sue you for fraud because of your tricks, and especially there are some sports bookmakers who want to reconnect with you to charge him certain debts, and they are the kind of people who charge with the bones of your legs if they are not paid," said William threatening and angry.  
John and Marie opened their eyes, surprised and frightened.  
"You can not…! " John replied trying to pretend a courage he did not have.  
"Yes, I can! For a man like me who shares the table with politicians and magistrates, who usually talks to the Prime Minister and talks to the Queen as his cousin, anything is possible ... I do not usually use my power to intimidate and less to harm anyone, but with a leech like you all is valid ... Victoria is important to me, that's why I will protect her and her sister and her mother. It's better than you do not challenge me because I swear I'll make your miserable life a hell ... Now, out of our sight ... and I forbid you to approach Victoria and do not think I do not know if you will do, I have eyes and ears everywhere," said William, withdrawing his arm from the man's throat and retreating a few steps.  
John and Marie went off, furious and frightened, muttering insults that they did not dare to say aloud and turning around to look at Victoria and William with rancour.  
"Victoria, are you okay? " William asked worriedly as with his hand he gently held Victoria's arm.  
Victoria saw him with her eyes flooded with tears, as she cried and pouting like a little girl. She tried to speak, but the words did not come out of her mouth. Finally, she took a few steps forward and hugged him, burying her face in his chest and started crying hysterically, still pouting. William needed a few seconds to react, but then he put his strong arms around her and hugged her warmly, stroking Victoria's back with one hand. He placed a kiss on the girl's head, his lips on the girl's hair. And in a tender way, both were hugged each other in that aisle ...


	10. The Girl whose Wall fell.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria and William continue to walk the tortuous path they undertook together, between pain and remote hope.

Victoria listened attentively to every word William said to the Safeguarding official in front of both of them, her sitting behind the desk while they sat on chairs, side by side. After the unpleasant incident with her uncle and aunt in the corridor of the official building where they had come for the citation with the Safeguarding official, Victoria had to calm down quickly to enter the meeting with the official in charge of Kate's case. Both had spoken with the kind social worker, answering her questions and making the necessary clarifications.   
"I understand, Lord Maybourne ... as I said before, the important thing would be Kate has a stable and healthy familiar surrounding, and in that respect, I have nothing to object to about the age difference between Miss Victoria and you. In these times in which society accepts as normal all kinds of families that were once considered atypical or abnormal, it would be absurd to object to a couple as guardians of a girl because they have a great age difference between with each other ... At least, that is my opinion and my criterion as an official of Safeguarding ... Obviously, your economic situation is something quite positive for Kate ... But you will understand that there are other concerns regarding the suitability of the guardians and the relationship between them and of them with the minor ... for example, considerations regarding the psychological state of the guardians," said the official, a rather fat and middle-aged lady with a friendly face.   
"I understand where you want to go, and I can reassure you about it ... the death of my son was a horrible tragedy in my life ... like any father or mother who loves his child and who also loses him in such cruel circumstances, of course, that marked me and caused me a deep psychological damage, it would be absurd to say otherwise ..." William said calmly but in the gesture of his face and in his eyes you could see the pain that still lived inside him and Victoria could not ignore it while I watched him carefully, "But I think maybe ... when you're a survivor of a tragedy like that, that teaches you to better value the relationship you should have with a child that is under your care and gives you more wisdom and strength to be responsible for his well-being ... in any case, I believe that in these kinds of situations the facts speak better than words, and I can only say that I am willing to submit myself to any psychological test or evaluation ... and I can talk to my therapist to make any useful information available to you," he added sincerely.  
"Well, I really appreciate your collaboration ... Lord Maybourne, it is quite evident that the most likely outcome of the process is that Miss Victoria and you have custody of Kate. But obviously, our supervision and surveillance process will continue, especially in the early stages to make sure that the ambience is the most suitable for Kate ... At the moment, I think you two can rest assured," said the official.   
When leaving the office, William and Victoria conversed in a more relaxed manner, congratulating themselves on the outcome of the interview.  
"Victoria, would you like to have dinner with me tonight in the big house? I'd like to talk to you alone," said William kindly.  
Victoria could only say yes, feeling her heart speed up. A few hours later, that night, both were talking at the table after finishing eating. The evening had been quite pleasant, with William telling some anecdotes of his life when he was a young student who made Victoria laugh.   
Then they went to the main room, drinking glasses of wine. Victoria stopped in front of a shelf full of framed photographs of William with various world personalities. William watched with interest when he saw that she was surprised to see a photograph of him with Donald Trump.   
"Have you known him for a long time?" Victoria asked pointing to the image.  
"Yes, many years ago ... we have done business together," William answered with a smile.  
"So, are you two friends?" she asked with some caution.  
"Well, we're not so close friends, but I suppose so, you could say we are," William replied a little amused.  
Victoria snorted and made a gesture that almost made William laugh.  
"Do not tell me you're left-wing!" exclaimed William mockingly.  
"I really do not have a definite ideology ... let's say I'm an independent centrist. My mother voted for the SPD in Germany and was active in the unions ... my father voted most of the time for the Tories. So in my house, we were divided," Victoria replied.  
"I understand ... your mother is a social democratic progressive and your father was a right-wing conservative. And you're halfway there," said William with a smile.  
"Something like that ... and you?" Victoria replied.   
"I'm more like your father, but do not tell my Labour friends ... I'm a businessman and I should not get too involved in politics ... In any case, you must overcome the aversion for my quirky friend, when you meet him," said William in a carefree tone, as if he were talking about something unimportant.  
"Meet me with him?" Victoria asked very surprised and almost alarmed.  
"Of course! And to her too," replied William pointing to another photo in which he appeared with Queen Elizabeth II.  
Victoria paled as if she had in front of the Queen in person.  
"William, I do not understand ... you could marry almost any woman on the world ... Models, actresses, beautiful and cultured women, even with Royal blood ... but you prefer to marry me," Victoria said bewildered.  
"What's wrong with you?" William asked as if he really could not understand it.   
"You know what I mean! I'm not anybody special ... I'm not like those women with whom you had dates in past, those supermodels and actresses, I'm not as beautiful and sexy as them ..." Victoria answered a little impatient and frustrated.  
"Have you investigated my love life?" William asked with a malicious smile.  
"I ... I only saw some news on the internet when you made me your proposal ..." Victoria replied nervously and defensively.  
"For me, you are very beautiful and sexy, I do not think you have to feel inferior to these women ... for me you are a woman that any man with a pair of eyes can find very desirable," William replied with sincerity, a relaxed gesture in his face, but with an intense look.  
Victoria blushed and her heart quickened.  
"Do not make fun of me, William! I do not have complexes and I do not feel ugly, but I'm realistic, and next to a model of a voluptuous and sculptural body, a Playboy girl ..." Victoria replied trying to sound mocking, and that her nerves did not give her away.   
"Victoria, every beautiful woman is beautiful in a special and particular way. There are not two women who have the same kind of beauty, there are not two equal beauties. Certainly, there are women of a beauty more explosive and sexual, those atomic bombs that star in any erotic fantasy ... and I do not deny that as a man that type of women also attracts me ... But being honest, I prefer women of a more natural, less exuberant beauty, but who are nevertheless also sexy in a special, subtle or exotic way. Maybe I prefer women of short height, beautiful face and childish, beautiful eyes, and slim body, but even so very sexy, hot in a particular way," said William charmingly and with a look of a barely concealed desire.  
Victoria felt her heart speed up again, her body heat up and a tingle running through her, and she knew that she must be red, like a tomato.   
"William ... I'm not stupid or naive, and you know I'm not. It does not matter that you convince me that I am as beautiful as any of those goddesses, or that it doesn't matter, that, I do not have education or culture, or aristocratic blood ... that does not explain why a man like you wants to marry a girl like me, a girl that normally a man like you would not take with him to meet the president of the United States, whoever he is ... or the Queen ... I know that once you asked me for patience, you told me that I would understand, and I accepted it. But you've done so much for me and my family, and I just wanted to ..." Victoria said trying to sound friendly, with a little anxiety and bewilderment.   
"A reason to live ..." William replied calmly and with a sad smile, "I think you may know that feeling, Victoria ... the feeling of waking up one day and thinking that you have no reason to live ... to feel that you want to die because you have no reason to be in this world. Maybe the hidden and painful desire to do something drastic, to give an end to your life ... But at the same time, and in a contradictory way, you do not want to die, you do not have the courage to die, maybe because a small part of that humanity that you lost still lives in a corner of your soul and clings to life, because there is nothing more human than the instinct of survival and the fear of dying ... But then you find yourself in a terrible situation, feeling that you have no reason to live and go ahead, but on the other hand, you do not want to die either ... Perhaps it is worse than death itself, living trapped in a limbo between life and death, without wanting to leave this life but reneging every minute, and looking for every moment a reason to want to live, a purpose to get up every day, something greater than the simple inertia that moves you as if you were a mere mechanical instrument," he added with melancholy.   
Victoria, with a sad gesture and a compassionate and somewhat surprised look, saw him as he approached her.   
"Now imagine that one day you meet someone and you seem to find an answer ... imagine that you know a beautiful and bright young woman, who is very special, even if she does not believe it. Maybe that young woman has had a hard life, maybe she also knows what it is to live in that limbo where you have no reason to live, but you do not want to die ... Maybe she is as emotionally damaged as he is, but unlike of him, she is brave and resilient and has a family that gives her the drive to fight ... A young woman that is admirable, a woman who can carry the weight of the world on her shoulders and even so not succumb to darkness and bitter cynicism ... maybe she can be the answer ... Maybe, just maybe, she can be the one to make life interesting again and worth living it ... she could give back to man a reason to live ... That is what I think," said William lovely, and smiling at the end of his words.   
"Is that what you feel, William?" Victoria asked with tears running down her cheeks and trying not to pout, so as not to look ridiculous and childish.  
"It's the truth ..." William replied as the back of his hand wiped the tears from Victoria's cheeks, "And you ... What is your reason for getting married? ... Is it only the welfare of your family?" he added.  
"No ... not really ... I ... I'm also recovering the desire to live ... thanks to you," Victoria answered, seeing William in the eye and still crying.  
William saw her for a moment and then stepped forward, under his head and kissed her lips softly and slowly, and hugged her. Victoria closed her eyes and corresponded to the kiss, with passion and tenderness, while she kept crying.


	11. Coming out of Purgatory: Confessions, Faith and Love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria lives a crucial moment in her relationship with William, and on a date, she will make a difficult confession about a painful experience in her life. How will William react?

"You had to have slept with him, Vicky! " Harriet exclaimed, amused and enthusiastic, with a certain tone of affectionate reprimand.  
"Harriet, do not be silly! ... Even I do not know if I did well to kiss him," Victoria said anxiously as she walked restlessly from one side to the other in her bedroom in the guest house.  
"Do you regret kissing him? " Nancy asked, sitting on Victoria's bed.  
"No! ... I do not know ... My God, I'm so stupid! " exclaimed Victoria falling down face down on her bed, next to Nancy, and burying her face in the mattress.  
"Vicky, we are not in the era of our grandparents ... if you like Lord William you just have to go ahead, you are adult and you can enjoy your sexuality as you prefer," said Harriet sitting on the bed.  
"Harriet, sex is not everything in life ... this situation has been crazy from the beginning, and now everything is more confusing than ever ... I do not know what to do ... I am absolutely lost," Victoria replied raising her head and watching Harriet with some anguish.  
"But Victoria ... you have feelings for him," said Nancy as an affirmation.  
"Yes, I have them ... I can not deny what is obvious ... I would not have kissed him if I did not feel something for him ... And that is what most anguishes me because you know that ... I did not want to fall in love again in my life, and now ... Now I am falling in love with this man who is still a mystery to me, who is still almost unknown to me ... a man who has practically paid me to marry him, even though he is a man who could have to almost any woman in the world ... I am afraid, I am afraid of all this ... I am afraid of what I feel and what may happen," Victoria answered between anguished and sad.   
"Vicky, I will not be as smart as you ... but I think the best thing in these cases is to let yourself be carried away by your heart ... If you do not face what you feel, if you do not test yourself, you will not know what is best for you, and you might regret not having tried," said Harriet earnestly.  
"This time I agree with Harriet, Vicky ... you must explore your feelings to discover what you really feel and make the best decisions ... You must venture out of that shell that you put on your heart, only then you can mature and learn to live without fear ... The worst that can happen is that things do not work with William and you suffer a disappointment, but that's part of life, Vicky ... You're brave and that's why I know you can face anything," said Nancy stroking Victoria's arm.  
"I know you two are right ... what has started between William and me, whatever it is, I must face it. I can not simply hide or flee ... that's why I agreed to go out with him on that date, tonight," Victoria replied seriously, as she sat on the bed.  
"Now we must choose a hot, underwear for you tonight," said Harriet cheerfully and with almost childlike enthusiasm.   
"Harriet! ... My God, you say an intelligent thing and the next minute you're yourself again!" Victoria exclaimed in a complaint.  
"What's wrong, Vicky? If nothing happens, well ... but it's better to be prepared ... Do not you want to look bad if the opportunity arises?" Harriet replied with a mischievous smile.  
"Incredibly, I agree with Harriet, Victoria," Nancy said and waved her hand for patience to Victoria when she saw her mouth open to protest. "Vicky, as you both said, him and you, in that conversation, you two feel a desire to live reborn, and you should be given the opportunity to enjoy happiness in any sense ... I do not say that you rush, I do not advise you to go very fast, but I do not want you to close your feelings and I want you to allow yourself to live again for you and not for others," added Nancy in an affectionate tone.  
"I know you're right and you say it because you love me ... but you know that the issue of intimacy with a man, for me ... is not easy," said Victoria bowing her head sadly.  
"I know, honey, but that's why I want you to make an effort to leave the past behind and concentrate on trying to be happy, and I hope William can be the man you deserve," Nancy replied and hugged Victoria, and Victoria buried her head on Nancy's chest, while Harriet joined the two hugging Victoria from behind.   
That night William took Victoria to a luxurious restaurant, 3-star in the Michelin Guide. He dressed elegantly, in a suit and tie, and she dressed in fashion, in an elegant and subtly sexy black dress, which was quite short and revealed her legs, and was low-cut. She was wearing high-heeled sandals, and she was really beautiful, generating a surprise reaction in Lord William that took a few moments to wake up from his reverie when he saw her.  
Both entered the restaurant with her hand on his arm, and William hurriedly pulls the chair for Victoria to sit down.  
The night passed in a very pleasant way, with William being charming in a sincere and natural way, and Victoria responding enthusiastically and happily in spite of her shyness to be in such a luxurious place and so alien to her previous life, preoccupied with the idea of committing errors in the protocol that should be used in a high society dinner. But with affection, William corrected the small errors of etiquette and advised her how to behave at the table without making her feel stupid.  
The conversation led to intimate topics, experiences of the private lives of both. Victoria was surprised at the way she talked to William about things she did not talk about with anyone and that they had become taboo to her, like her father's. And William made her feel comfortable, showing interest, respect and compassion for her.   
"I really admire you, Victoria ... I do not know if at your age I would have been able to bear so much weight on my back. I grew up in a privileged ambient, sincerely ... at your age I must confess that I was like many children of rich families, I was a spoiled child in some aspects and I dedicated myself to the pleasures of life, the pleasures that can be enjoyed with ease thanks to the money ... Honestly I was a womanizer and a party-guy, and I should not worry about the family's livelihood because that's what my father was for ... That's why I can not even imagine how hard it has been for you," said William with sadness and a certain shame.  
"Your life has not been easy either," Victoria said sadly and shyly.  
"Yes, it's true ... but my hell came much later, with more age than you have now. But better let's not talk about sad things anymore," answered William as he drank some wine from his glass.  
"I agree," Victoria replied, as she drank some wine from her own glass.   
"The only thing I want to add ... is that what I said yesterday, I said it with all my heart, and even so I feel I underestimated you ... I don't know what will happen in the future, I don't know what will happen between us, but I do not want you to ever forget these words if, someday I'm not there, to repeat them or I've forgotten them by a miracle ... Victoria, you're a good person, an honest and noble person ... and you're a strong and courageous woman who can face any challenge in her life. You are a very special person, and I really believe that few people in the world have so many virtues ... and it really saddens me that you are not able to see how special you are, to believe that you are not worthy of living among those people of ambient in which I live, when many of them do not even have half of your human quality," said William a little excited, and surprised of his own sincerity.  
Victoria's eyes moistened.  
"Thanks, William," Victoria said excitedly.   
"Not to mention you're a very beautiful woman ... honestly, when I saw you tonight, you cut me the breath. You look very beautiful, elegant and sexy in that dress ... Believe me when I tell you that many, many men would like to be in my place today ... many men would like to have the opportunity to have a date with you, even in that, you are also very special," said William with an intense look that shook Victoria.  
"Be careful, William ... I'll end up believing you!" exclaimed Victoria blushing and smiling in a fun and sweet way.  
"Well, believe it!" William replied with a smile while winking at her.  
They both laughed a little, and then William turned back to the food. Victoria was going to do the same, but she was silent for a moment, then turned to look at William with an intense look that reflected mixed feelings, among which pain and anguish stood out. William noticed and saw her, worried.  
"Victoria ... what's wrong?" William asked in a tone of certain anguish.   
"William, I ... I have something to ... William ... I'm not a virgin," Victoria said with moist eyes, embarrassed, flushed and with her lips trembling.  
William was bewildered, obviously confused.   
"Victoria, I ... I did not expect you to be ..." William replied and when he saw the expression of surprise and a certain scandal on Victoria's face, he got nervous thinking that he had made a mistake and he would have offended her, "Not for you ... not because it's you, what I meant ... is that in these times ... well in fact for a long time, it's very difficult that a girl your age ... well, most of the girls your age have already lost ... what I want to say is that most girls of your age are already ... they are already sexually active," added William very nervous and uncomfortable, worried about the possibility of offending Victoria, uncomfortable about the subject they were talking about and because although he honestly understood Victoria actually disliked the idea of her having sex with another man even in the past.   
"Of course, you do not have to worry, William, you have not said anything that could offend me, on the contrary ... " Victoria said trying to sketch a sweet smile, but then she returned to sketch a gesture of sadness and shame, "And I know that what you are saying is quite obvious and in other circumstances I would not even have to mention the subject, because as you say a man would not necessarily have to wait that a girl my age ... well, that things are the way they are. But, if we had a normal romance, with the intimacy that arises between two people when they discover each other and fall in love, surely I would not have to say this ... and, I'm not reproaching you, William, now I think that meeting you has been one of the best things that have happened to me in my life ..." Victoria added with tears about to come out of her eyes and trying to smile again, "But in these circumstances I think it is necessary for you to know this of what I have not spoken with almost anyone in my life, something it is very shameful and painful, but you need to know it to understand me," Victoria added with the pain reflected in her face.   
Victoria was silent for a moment as if she needed to gather strength to continue, while William saw her between compassionate and concerned about her.   
"After the death of my father, I was lost ... I felt angry with the world, with everyone, even with my mother, who was not to blame for anything. I locked myself in and lived in a depression, and it really became very difficult to live with me. So a couple of years went by ... and then I met a boy ..." Victoria said and made a brief pause to drink water, while a tear escaped her eyes, "he was three years older than me, he was a handsome boy and had that personality type, you know ... he could be charming and he always knew that telling a girl what was appropriate to make her fall in love, and at the same time he looked to be very bold, very daring, macho and intimidating ... In short, he was a 'bad boy', that kind of bad guys that stupid girls like them, like me," Victoria added with a wry smile and the bitterness painted on her eyes and the gesture on her face.  
William listened with respectful silence and a tense expectation, while his heart accelerated a little.   
"My friends warned me that he was a womanizer, that he only used girls to have fun and then he discarded them, that was his fame in the neighbourhood... My mother saw him a couple of times and she told me, that she did not like him, but in then I did the opposite of what my mother wanted, and I behaved with her like a spoiled idiot ... I thought that if all he wanted from me was sex I would not wait that long, because, I resisted his advances enough and yet he kept insisting, but without pressing me, swore to me that he did not care about waiting because he really cared for me, because I was different from the other girls, because what he felt with me was different from what he felt for the others ... And I was so stupid for believing him ..." Victoria said with deep bitterness and bitterness in his voice, "So, one day I finally gave in ... I allowed him to steal my virginity, we had sex ..."  
Victoria looked down, while William cleared his throat a little, uncomfortable and having mixed feelings.   
"We had sex a few times more, in fact they were not many, because it was not long before it was confirmed what they had warned me, that the only thing he wanted from me was for him to have fun and that I would just I am one of a very long list ... Until then everything could have been a very frequent story, that of a silly girl who gives her virginity to a lout who played with her making her believe it was love and not just fun ... after all, the first sexual experience of many women must have been so, instead of being at least one case in which you gave your virginity to your first serious boyfriend, to your youthful love, even though he would not be the only man in your life, let alone your greatest love or last love ... Well, as I said, my case although sad it would have been quite usual if it had not been because he ... he videotaped our first sexual encounter without my knowing it," Victoria said with tears running down her cheeks.  
William felt sorry for her, but he remained silent to let her speak, while Victoria made an effort to continue.   
"I suppose using a hidden camera to record how you steal the virginity of a stupid girl and so be able to show it to your friends, who are as bastards as you, must be something very funny ..." Victoria continued with bitterness and sarcasm, while drying tears with the back of a hand, "It even seems that he had bet with his friends that I was a virgin and that he was going to be the lucky one who was going to enjoy my virginity, and the video was the evidence that he had won the bet," she added with pain.  
William clenched his fist in anger and had to have a glass of wine.   
"A boy who was dating Harriet in those days learned that he was sharing the video with his friends and that's how I found out it ... I felt that the world was collapsing. I went to complain him and ended up slapping him, in front of his friends, and when he tried to attack me, Harriet, Nancy and I hit him, and Harriet's boyfriend intervened and got into a fight with him ... but then it got worse, because the video ended up on the internet and everyone the students of my high school saw it ... You can imagine that my life became a hell, I was a victim of bullying, in school almost all of them were very cruel and treated me like trash, especially girls ... I had to get used to that they called me 'bitch' and that the boys treated me like an easy girl ... Only Nancy and Harriet stayed by my side and fought with anyone who pick on me. All that hurt me too much, but it hurt me so much or more to have hurt and disappointed my mother ... she cried for days and I could not bear to see her like that ... My mother had to report the boy to the police for what he had done to me, and since I was still a minor and he was of legal age, he went to jail for some time, even though he came to an agreement to avoid the trial and a possible greater sentence ... All that hell, added to the tragedy of my father and the illness of my mother, led me to wish death and I even had suicidal thoughts, so I had to receive psychiatric treatment ... Thanks to my mother, my sister, Harriet and Nancy, I could get out of that abyss and survive and have a relatively normal life ... but that wound is inside me and that's why I did not want to know anything about men, I did not want to fall in love again ... I did not want to put my heart back into the hands of a stranger," Victoria said crying and trying to suppress the pouts while taking a handkerchief that William gave her to wipe the tears, that they were dark due to mascara.   
"How old were you then?" William asked in a very gentle way.  
"I was 16 years old," Victoria answered making an effort to master her voice broken by emotion.  
William watched her in silence for a moment and then put his hand on her hand, making Victoria see him in the eyes.   
"Thank you for trusting me, Victoria ... thank you for telling me something so intimate and painful. Victoria ... what that scoundrel did to you is unforgivable, no woman deserves to suffer something so terrible, humiliating and degrading ... I would like to kill that bastard that did that to you, that scoundrel is not even human doing something so disgusting ... But the world is like that, Victoria ... it is full of evil and unfortunately I know it very well ... But I want you to know that what you have told me has only made me feel more admiration for you. You are very strong to have survived something like that ... and you should also know that none of that blemish your innocence, for me you are an absolutely pure and innocent girl. And I need to tell you this ... you must not allow a bad experience with such a repulsive being to ruin your life ... Even if in the future our paths are separated I want that you to know that you are such a beautiful woman and such a valuable being that ... many, many men would want to love you, men more valuable than me ... To love you, and above all, to be loved by you is the best thing that could happen to me, to me and any man, who is not blind or stupid ... believe me Victoria, please, believe me," William said in a voice broken by emotion and seeing Victoria in the eyes with a look full of compassion and affection.   
Victoria cried again, but this time with gratitude, and then a sweet smile appeared on her face.  
Upon arriving back from the restaurant, Victoria and William were standing in the space between the guest house and the big house. William was preparing to say goodbye when suddenly Victoria was watching him with shyness and anxiety.  
"William, if you want ... I could accompany you to the house ... I would not like to say goodbye to you ... tonight," said Victoria blushing and shaking, when she proposed to William that they make love.   
William smiled tenderly and stroked Victoria's cheek.   
"No, I do not think we should do it tonight ..." William said and seeing the disappointment and sadness in Victoria put his finger under her chin and made her raise her head, "Because I prefer to wait for the wedding night, not because be old-fashioned but because the first time I will make love to you I want it to be very special for both, especially for you ... I want to give you the most romantic night of your life, I want to make you to feel so special, as I would have made you feel if I had had the luck to have received your virginity as a gift," said William and before Victoria could open her mouth to answer, he hugged her and kissed her on the lips with passion, "You have no idea how hard it is for me to hold back, because I wish you so much, I desire so much own your body and make love to you," added William after breaking the kiss and placed his chin on Victoria's head.   
"And I too ... I feel the same," Victoria said with a lovely smile as she buried her face in his chest and acknowledged her defeat, because she had fallen in love again, of the man she never expected to fall in love with.  
After one more kiss on the lips and hug for a couple of minutes, both separated and Victoria took off her high-heeled sandals, to feel the grass of the garden between both houses under her bare feet. When she opened the door of the guest house she saw her two friends who had been spying on the scene through the window and were waiting with smiling faces.  
"I do not know what the hell I helps you choose some sexy panties if you did not give them a good use at the end!" Harriet exclaimed, and then the three of them laughed, and Victoria mixed laughter with tears of happiness.


End file.
